3537 
T27855 

F3 

THE  FALL  OF  UG 
A  Masque  of  Fear 

BY 

RUFUS  STEELE 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

Though  never  saw  you  this  colossal  form 

That  here  locks  fast  the  path  to  higher  joys, 

Ne'er  saw  you  day  since  from  the  womb  you  sprang, 

But  Ug  lurked  close  behind  your  elbow  joint. 

Unseen,  he  fretted  you  in  cradle  days. 

When  she  who  bore  you,  tore  you  from  her  breasts 

And  bade  you  walk,  Ug  set  the  path  with  thorns. 

The  youth  chafed  oft  at  yoke  upon  his  neck ; 

The  man  finds  fear  encysted  in  his  heart. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

How  say  you  this  who  knew  me  not  in  youth? 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

Alas,  the  heavy  tale  of  one  fits  all. 

No  man  complains  that  Ug  has  passed  him  by. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

Since  day  by  day  we  pay,  what  drives  us  now 
To  lay  the  richest  gift  of  all  —  a  youth  — 
Upon  the  altar  of  insatiate  Ug? 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

Know,  son,  that  in  the  mystic  dawn  of  things, 

Ere  magic  had  been  stirred  into  this  soil, 

And  Nature's  womb  still  held  these  ancient  trees, 

The  fathers  of  our  fathers'  fathers'  sires 

Knew  tongue,  now  lost,  in  which  they  spake  with  Ug 

And  with  a  compact  sued  some  meed  of  peace. 

Though  great  Ug  would  not  yield  the  whited  path, 

By  iron  oath  he  bound  himself  to  sink 

His  beak  but  lightly  into  mortal  hearts, 

Nor  ever  take  his  fill  of  human  woe. 

And  for  this  boon  our  fathers  pledged  themselves 

And  all  their  children's  children's  sons  to  come 

Here  in  the  fullness  of  Mid-Summer  moon 

And  send  through  flames  to  join  his  soul  with  Ug 

A  youth  by  Ug  marked  for  such  sacrifice. 

Tiol 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

A  thousand  moons  of  soft  Mid-Summer  Night 
Have  lit  the  strict  performance  of  our  bond; 
A  thousand  times  as  stood  the  victim  forth 
A  blood-red  dawn  has  shown  great  Ug  appeased. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

And  shall  there  be  no  end  of  sacrifice 

And  dawns  that  seem  to  bathe  the  world  in  blood? 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

No  end  shall  be  while  faithful  Priests  of  Ug 
Demand  enforcement  of  the  changeless  law. 

THE  PATRIARCH  PRIEST: 

Hear  me  in  my  great  age. 
Now  memory  illumes  the  tale  the  Priest, 
My  father,  told  me,  which  long  since  the  Priest, 
His  father,  had  told  him.    A  myth  it  was, 
A  legend  shaped  mayhap  at  Fancy's  wheel 
And  yet  so  rich  in  promise  was  the  tale, 
So  freighted  with  the  rarest  gems  of  hope, 
That  even  now  it  leaps  upon  my  tongue. 
The  prophecy  says  naught  of  fixed  time. 
Told  in  some  season  long  forgot,  it  leaps 
Through  cycles  to  a  strange  Mid-Summer  Night 
When  Ug  calls  loudly  for  his  human  toll ; 
And  then,  so  runs  the  tale,  because  the  youth, 
About  to  pass  into  the  flames,  uplifts 
His  eyes  and  voice,  some  wondrous  vision  waits, 
And  when  the  seeing  youth  beseeches  aid 
Some  warrior,  not  of  earth,  his  lance  drives  home : 
Rends  mighty  Ug  to  nameless  bits  of  dust, 
Nor  leaves  one  fragment  to  rekindle  fear. 
And  down  the  freshly  opened  path  to  Heaven 
Celestial  beings  come  to  walk  with  men. 
Comes  dawn,  the  strangest  ever  born  of  night: 
Ug's  ancient  beams  reach  out  their  crimson  hands, 
When  lo,  there  breaks  a  dawn  all  crystal  white 
That  overcomes  the  last  false  beam  of  blood 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORK 
•      DAVIS 


THE  PRINCE'S  PRAYER 

Scene  immediately  preceding  the  destruction  of 
Ug,  the  God  of  Fear 


THE  FALL  OF   UG 

A  Masque  of  Fear 

By  RUFUS  STEELE 
Music  by  HERMAN  PERLET 

Being  the  Eleventh  Grove  Play 

of  the  Bohemian  Club  of  San  Francisco 

as  Performed  by  Members  of  the  Club,  at  the 

Thirty-sixth  Mid-Summer  High  Jinks 

in  the  Bohemian  Grove,  Sonoma 

County,  California,  on  the 

Ninth  Night  of 

August,  1913 


SAN  FRANCISCO 

JOHN  HOWELL 

!9J  3 


Copyright,  1913 
by  THE  BOHEMIAN  CLUB 


NOTE 

This  play  is  published  for  public  circula- 
tion, to  meet  a  demand  outside  the  Club, 
by  permission  of  the  Bohemian  Club.  Dra- 
matic and  platform  rights  are  reserved. 
A  synopsis  of  the  music  iuill  be  found  at 
the  back  of  the  book.  Two  of  the  musical 
numbers,  "The  Jester's  Drinking  Song" 
and  the  finale,  "  The  World  Hymn"  (in 
solo  form),  have  been  published  and  may 
be  obtained  through  music  dealers. 


Taylor,  Nash  &  Taylor 
San  Francisco 


PERSONS  IN  THE  MASQUE 

THE  PRINCE  THE  THIRD  PRIEST 

THE  FIRST  COMPANION  THE  YOUNG  PRIEST 

THE  SECOND  COMPANION  THE  HIGH  PRIEST 

TWO  OTHER  COMPANIONS  THE  KING 

THE  FIRST  SERVITOR  THE  JESTER 

THE  SECOND  SERVITOR  THE  SCRIBE 

TWO  OTHER  SERVITORS  TWO  LORDS 

TRIP  (a  fairy)  TWO  NOBLES 

THE  PATRIARCH  PRIEST        THE  CHIEF  HUNTSMAN 
THE  SECOND  PRIEST  THE  CHIEF  WARRIOR 

A  BEAR 

HUSBANDMEN,  SHEPHERDS,  HUNTSMEN, 

WARRIORS,    FANATIC    DANCERS,    GODS    OF    FEAR,    ANTEPHONAL 

CHORUSES,  FLYING  FAIRIES,  DANCING  FAIRIES, 

CELESTIAL  BEINGS 

(180  persons  participated 
in  the  play  as  performed 
in  the  Bohemian  Grove) 

[iii] 


PLAN  OF  THE  MUSIC 

I.  PRELUDE 
II.  INTERMEZZO 

III.  ENTRANCE  OF  THE  GROUPS,  HIGH 

PRIEST  AND  KING 

IV.  CHORUS  OF  PRIESTS 
V.  THE  SONG  OF  UG 

VI.  DANCE  OF  THE  FANATICS 
VII.  THE  SONG  OF  THE  JESTER 
VIII.  THE  PRINCE  BEFORE  UG 
IX.  THE  FLYING  FAIRIES 
X.  WORLD  HYMN  AND  FINALE 


THE  ORCHESTRA 

Twelve  first  violins,  ten  second  violins,  six  violas,  six  cel- 
los, six  double  basses,  three  flutes,  two  oboes,  two  clarinets,  two 
bassoons,  four  horns,  three  trumpets,  three  trombones,  tuba,  harp, 
cor  anglais,  timpani  and  drums. 


[v] 


FOREWORD 

On  the  Russian  River  in  Sonoma  County,  California,  seventy 
miles  north  of  San  Francisco,  stands  an  untouched  grove  of 
Sequoia  sempervirens,  or  redwoods,  of  great  beauty.  Hundreds 
of  trees,  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred  feet  in  height,  are 
estimated  to  range  in  age  from  seven  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred 
years.  A  famous  club  of  San  Francisco  which  owns  this  grove 
has,  for  many  years,  held  a  mid-summer  encampment  here,  and 
has  produced  an  original  play,  the  text  written  by  one  member 
and  the  music  composed  by  another,  upon  a  stage  at  the  foot  of  a 
steep  hillside,  with  redwoods  forming  the  proscenium.  The  out- 
door play  is  made  possible  by  the  fact  that  rain  in  mid-summer 
is  almost  unknown.  This  Grove  Play  has  developed  year  by  year, 
is  said  to  have  become  a  positive  influence  in  American  dra- 
matics, and  annually  commands  the  interest  of  art  lovers  and 
critics  both  of  this  country  and  Europe. 

It  is  inconceivable  to  me  that  this  grove  should  not  always  have 
been  the  meeting-place  extraordinary  of  the  men  who  occupied 
the  country  roundabout.  The  lace-hung,  purple-coated  trees  were 
to  the  first  men  who  knew  them  as  awesomely  venerable  as  they 
are  today.  Always  they  must  have  played  the  patriarchs  to 
every  moving  creature.  The  yester  men  knew  their  appeal.  A 
cycle  can  have  brought  no  change  in  that  appeal,  but  only  in  men's 
progress  toward  interpretation.  I  believe  that  earnestness  and 
even  periodicity  marked  the  coming  to  this  grove  of  yesterday's 
pretenders  to  its  mastery;  that  then,  as  now,  men  courted  wit- 
ness everlasting  to  the  best  deed  that  they  knew. 

And  who  can  doubt  which  deed  it  was  the  yester  people  called 
their  best?  All  early  records  of  man's  melancholy  worship  show 
him  struggling  to  appease  the  Terrible.  What  first  brought  men 
into  this  temple  grove  except  some  sober  ceremony  to  ease  the 

Fvii] 


FOREWORD 

common  curse  —  some  rite  by  which  they  sought  to  relegate  Old 
Fear? 

These  trees  have  gazed  on  immemorial  exorcisms  meant  to  set 
men's  spirits  free.  Today  they  stay  the  snuffing  blasts;  they 
let  men  strike  the  flints  of  brotherhood  to  start  a  splendid  flicker 
in  the  mist  of  dread.  But  those  men  of  yesterday  —  they  also 
had  their  hopeful  Hints.  What  was  their  magic  like?  How  did 
they  cozen  or  make  war  on  Fear? 

What  might  the  trees  remember  if  devoutly  importuned?  By 
light  of  moon,  on  wind-swept  morn  and  in  the  solitude  of  rain 
I  teased  them  for  the  tale.  At  length  the  red  mothers  could  no 
more  deny  a  child  the  thing  he  begged.  When  I  had  turned  the 
vision  into  stumbling  words,  Perlet  I  called  —  Perlet,  who  hear- 
ing with  the  blessed  ear,  sings  in  the  sweeter  key  —  and  he 
sat  with  me  and  all  the  things  we  witnessed  wrote  he  down  in 
language  of  the  soul.  Our  joy  lies  in  the  sharing  of  the  tale.  And 
if  the  patient  one  that  harks  to  us  —  to  Perlet' s  telling  and  to 
mine  —  reaps  but  a  tinkling  of  the  ear,  and  fails  to  see  with  in- 
ward eye  some  twitching  of  the  mortal  veil,  then  are  we  faulty 
messengers,  for  we  ourselves  stood  at  the  veil  and  as  vje  stood 
we  thought  the  pall  was  snatched  away. 

Our  vision  touched  a  night  that  reeked  with  perfume  as  of 
ruddy  grapes.  It  was  the  season  when  in  these  woods  the  year 
seems  verily  to  stand  still.  Spring's  reckless  promise  had  been 
met  and  overpaid  in  leafy  green;  it  seemed  as  if  the  crisping 
hand  of  Autumn  might  never  come  at  all.  In  that  same  glade  of 
dreams  now  called  the  stage  I  saw  the  yester  men  —  good,  swart 
progenitors  they  were  —  foregather  in  a  throng.  The  place  I 
barely  recognised,  for  no  sweet  hillside  vista  rose  above.  A  peak 
of  grayish  rock  walled  all  that  range  through  which  men's  hearts 
today  look  up  to  Heaven.  A  rock  it  was  —  but  more.  Some  force 
had  hewed  the  rock  into  a  semblance  every  shuddering  mortal 
knew  to  be  the  demon  God  of  Fear.  And  on  the  perfect  night 
(I  know  not  in  what  century  it  was  for  these  trees  have  no  sense 
of  time)  men  gathered  to  affirm  their  endless  subjugation  to  the 
god. 

A  monstrous  tinge  of  hope  was  theirs.  Some  faith  fixed  by 
their  dim  forefathers  told  these  men  that  if  they  yearly  sacrificed 
their  fairest  youth  to  Fear,  the  people  should  be  spared  some  meas- 

[  viii  ] 


FOREWORD 

ure  of  the  daily  toll  they  paid  the  god.  And  in  the  rites  that  my 
eyes  looked  upon,  the  king's  own  son,  by  strange  concatenation  of 
events,  was  drawn  to  die  —  the  Prince  who  loved  to  live! 

A  struggle  followed  such  as  none  might  ever  know  save  one 
called  on  to  die  the  death  of  fear.  The  Prince's  father  failed 
him,  and  his  friends  —  the  only  priestly  counsel  was  submission! 
The  brave  youth  sought  a  promise  from  the  god  himself  that  his 
death  be  the  last — that  royal  blood  should  pay  the  final  measure 
of  demand.  And  then,  the  stony  image  belching  no  reply,  the 
Prince  rebelled  and  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  marveling  at  the  assur- 
ance of  the  redwood  tops,  he  prayed  the  grim  old  sentinels  to  be- 
come his  aids. 

Since  man  began  the  trees  had  stood  confessors  to  his  woe;  a 
youth's  beseeching  eyes  drew  all  the  consolation  that  they  knew. 

They  calmed  him  for  a  little  space  and  opened  his  mortal 
senses  to  woodland  music  and  to  fairy  creatures  whose  feet  be- 
haved on  insubstantial  air  as  though  they  tripped  the  ground. 

Of  course  the  beauty  that  assuaged  could  not  annul  the 
Prince's  plight.  The  monster  pressed  again.  The  friendly  trees, 
their  feet  fast  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  no  step  might  take.  And 
yet  they  served.  The  anguished  youth  about  to  die  in  sacrifice 
saw  trees  no  more;  what  had  been  trees  were  now  red  fingers, 
nameless  in  their  size  and  urgency,  uppointing  him  a  strange  and 
certain  way  of  peace. 

In  a  cataclysm  fell  old  rocky  Fear;  but  the  rejoicing  Prince 
fell  not.  He  saved  his  people  too.  It  must  have  been  that  Fear 
was  not  eternal;  that  men  themselves  had  hewn  its  horrid  form! 

One  would  have  thought  the  demon  god  was  vanished  from 
the  world.  And  yet  —  and  yet,  the  rumor  runs,  his  visible  portion 
lost  in  dust,  Old  Fear  has  latterly  contrived  some  gross  perpetu- 
ation of  himself  within  the  human  breast. 

What  exorcism  now?  Or  is  there  any  way  to  shatter  fear  firm 
rooted  in  the  heart? 

The  Prince  might  tell!  But  the  Prince,  alas,  has  gone.  Long 
since  has  gone  the  last  of  those  who  saw  the  marvel  that  befell 
when  Faith  upturned  its  eyes  and  Essence  called  to  Essence  whence 
it  sprung.  All  living  things  in  all  the  living  world  are  changed. 

But  stay  —  the  trees!  The  lone  imperishables  remain!  The 
very  trees  that  heard  the  Prince's  call  and  gave  such  answer  back 

[ix] 


FOREWORD 

have  ignored  the  withering  centuries.  Unchanged  they  look  down 
on  the  waning,  wondering  world.  Good  reader,  can  it  be  that, 
now  as  then,  they  wait  on  tiptoe  to  uppoint  a  wanderer  to  his 
forfeitless  estate — that  they  stand  tireless  through  all  time,  until 
the  last  sad  princeling  lifts  his  eyes  and  voice  to  claim  the  Eternal 
Secret  as  his  own? 

RUFUS  STEELE. 

San  Francisco. 


ARGUMENT 


A  YOUNG  PRINCE  and  his  hunting  companions  follow  a 
stag  through  a  forest  on  Mid-Summer  Day.  They  pause 
before  a  colossal  stone  figure  of  Ug,  the  God  of  Fear, 
which  has  long  blocked  the  white  path  leading  Heavenward  up 
the  hill.  The  people,  it  develops,  come  here  this  very  night  for 
the  annual  human  sacrifice  to  Ug.  The  Prince  laughs  his  scorn 
of  the  God  of  Fear  and  almost  at  the  same  moment  the  ominous 
sunset  shadow  of  the  colossus  falls  on  the  young  man. 

Evening  comes  as  the  princely  party  pass  on  in  pursuit  of  the 
stag.  Furred  and  feathered  denizens  of  the  wood  appear.  Trip, 
the  brown-faced  fairy  master  of  the  grove,  swings  to  the  tail  of 
a  huge  bear,  but  gives  up  his  teasing  to  take  his  music  lesson 
from  a  bird. 

When  the  moon  Hoods  the  place  servitors  arrive  to  prepare 
for  the  rites.  The.ir  mortal  eyes  are  blind  to  Trip,  but  they  see 
Ug  all  too  plainly.  Trip  amuses  himself  by  adding  to  their  ter- 
ror. Upon  their  departure  Trip  warns  colossal  Ug  that  he  may 
not  always  dominate  mankind,  and  conjures  up  a  procession  of 
the  fallen  gods  of  fear  who  at  one  time  or  another  have  blighted 
man's  joyous  world.  When  men  wrestled  with  their  fear,  Trip 
declares,  each  dreadful  one  vanished. 

As  Trip  runs  off  after  his  bear  a  party  of  priests  arrive  and  a 
neophyte  learns  from  the  others  the  legend  of  the  ancient  pact 
which  forces  them  to  sacrifice  a  youth  on  each  Mid-Summer 
Night,  and  of  how  Ug  always  sends  a  blood-red  dawn  to  show  that 
he  is  appeased.  A  patriarch  priest  recites  a  mythical  promise  of 
a  final  sacrificial  night  when  the  victim  shall  lift  his  eyes  and  call 
some  power  not  of  earth  to  aid  him  —  some  power  that  shall 
utterly  destroy  old  Ug  and  send  a  white  dawn  to  swallow  up  the 
red  in  token  of  a  nobler  day. 

Husbandmen,  Shepherds,  Huntsmen,  Warriors,  King,  High 
Priest,  Prince,  Jester,  Scribe,  Nobles,  Lords  —  the  world  in  fact — 

[xi] 


ARGUMENT 

arrive  and  in  a  mighty  chorus  voice  their  trembling  tribute  to 
the  god. 

The  King  names  as  the  new  Defenders  of  great  Ug  a  list  of 
youths  who  have  done  valiantly.  At  the  Chief  Warrior's  demand 
the  name  of  the  proud  young  Prince  is  added  to  the  list.  It  is 
hardly  intended  that  the  Prince  shall  stand  with  other  Defend- 
ers before  the  table  of  secret  stones  by  which  Ug  makes  his  choice 
of  a  victim,  but  at  the  Jester's  taunt  the  Prince  leaps  from  the 
throne  steps  to  claim  his  place  —  and  presently  the  blackened 
stone  falls  to  his  royal  hand! 

The  King  protests,  and  so  does  the  Prince,  though  not  through 
fear  of  death.  The  High  Priest  allows  no  questioning  of  Ug's 
choice.  The  Prince  calls  his  father  to  lead  in  rebellion  against 
old  Ug.  The  High  Priest  forces  from  the  King's  unwilling  lips 
a  story  that  shows  the  terrible  consequences  of  revolt.  The 
wretched  Prince  consents  to  die.  Fanatics  perform  their  wild 
dance  of  ritual.  The  company  leaves  the  victim  to  his  prayers 
while  it  feasts  in  a  glade  nearby.  The  departing  High  Priest 
offers  the  Prince  sophist  consolation;  the  Jester  offers  liquor,  with 
a  song  that  tells  him  why  men  drink. 

The  deserted  Prince  begs  Ug  to  promise  that  no  other  victims 
shall  come  after  him,  and  when  no  answer  comes,  the  Prince 
turns  away  and  gropes  helplessly  among  the  trees.  His  hands 
encounter  a  mighty  trunk.  He  sees  for  the  first  time  how  calmly 
the  tree  stands  amidst  the  horrors  of  this  place.  In  ecstasy  he 
calls  to  the  unseen  spirit  of  the  trees  to  bring  him  balm.  That 
very  call  unseals  the  Prince's  eyes  to  Trip,  who  drops  down  from 
the  air.  The  fairy  tells  the  story  of  the  friendly  trees.  He  calls 
Ug  a  mere  rock  that  men  with  their  evil  imaginings  and  lack  of 
faith  have  carved  into  a  terror-god.  The  Prince  protests  the  aw- 
ful reality  of  Ug,  when  Trip  fiies  to  the  shoulder  of  the  co- 
lossus and  lifts  a  nestling  dove  from  the  terrifying  beak. 

The  Prince's  ears  are  opened  so  that  he  hears  the  fairies  as 
they  pipe  and  call.  Good  Trip  reveals  the  talismanic  key  growing 
at  their  feet  which  enables  the  Prince  to  see  the  dainty  woodfolk 
as  they  play  and  spurn  the  ground.  The  transported  Prince  desires 
to  fetch  the  King  and  Priests  and  all  the  company  to  share  his 
sparkling  vision,  but  Trip  reminds  him  sadly  that  blindness  binds 
all  of  them,  since  none  has  ever  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  called. 

Fxiil 


ARGUMENT 

Shouts  tell  that  the  company  is  returning  to  sacrifice  the  vic- 
tim. The  Prince  beseeches  Trip  to  remain,  but  the  fairy  declares 
this  useless.  He  is  touched  by  the  Prince's  plight  and  before  he 
whisks  away  he  gives  the  wisest  counsel  he  knows  —  he  bids  the 
needy  youth  anoint  his  eyes  once  more  with  faith  and  look  where 
the  redwood  fingers  point  him. 

The  Prince  tries  to  make  his  people  understand  something  of 
what  has  been  revealed  to  him,  but  fails  utterly.  In  discourage- 
ment he  disrobes  for  the  sacrifice.  Red  dawn  is  already  showing 
in  the  hideous  face  of  Ug.  The  naked  youth  is  lifted  high  by  the 
Priests  to  be  tossed  into  Ug's  arms,  from  which  he  must  drop 
into  the  flames.  Suddenly  Trip's  pipe  is  heard  close  by.  The 
Prince  is  aroused.  He  struggles  out  of  the  Priests'  grasp,  leaps 
to  a  rock  and  lifts  up  his  soul  to  the  God  where  point  the  red- 
wood hands,  declaring  the  ancient  promise  of  deliverance  now 
fulfilled  in  him. 

The  forest  trembles  with  the  thunder  of  Ug's  doom.  Light- 
ning rends  the  colossus.  Great  Ug  sinks  down  in  bits  of  dust. 
The  whited  path  to  Heaven,  which  so  long  he  held  fast,  is  seen 
to  lead  on  to  the  joyous  summit  of  the  mount.  Celestial  beings 
in  majesty  descend  to  commune  with  men.  As  the  throng  moves 
upward  over  the  very  spot  where  once  was  Ug,  the  world  chorus 
of  rejoicing  grows  until  it  fills  all  space. 

The  red  dawn  that  once  spoke  Ug's  sway  is  swallowed  in  a 
crystal  morn,  the  breaking  of  a  day  of  which  the  hearts  of  men 
had  hardly  dared  to  dream. 


Xlll 


THE   FALL  OF  UG 


THE  SCENE  is  an  open  space  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  hill  in 
a  forest  of  redwood  trees.  The  trunks  of  the  trees,  limb- 
less to  a  considerable  height,  are  like  mighty  pillars  sup- 
porting the  mass  of  dark  green  foliage.  Ferns  of  unusual  size, 
vines,  mosses  and  flowers,  such  as  love  sunshine  that  has  filtered 
through  lofty  tree  tops,  mask  the  hillside's  rugged  lines  and  spread 
a  variegated  carpeting.  The  time  is  late  afternoon  of  Mid-Summer 
Day.  A  white  road,  entering  from  one  side  and  turning  up  the 
hill,  is  completely  blocked  by  a  crudely  carved,  colossal  statue  of 
Ug,  the  God  of  Fear.  The  grey  stone  figure,  although  in  a  sitting 
posture,  is  about  seven  times  the  height  of  a  man.  Not  only 
does  it  bar  the  ascending  path  or  road,  bul  it  casts  upon  the 
hillside  above  it  a  shadow  suggestive  of  dangers  unseen.  The 
long,  cruel  beak  of  Ug  is  open  and  menacing.  The  forelimbs 
extend  outward  and  downward;  the  human  sacrifice  cast  upon 
the  upturned  palms  must  roll  off  and  drop  into  the  pit  beneath, 
where  the  fire  burns  at  sacrificial  times.  The  colossus  domi- 
nates the  scene  with  the  gloom  of  tragedy,  even  though  the  litter 
of  limbs  and  leaves  upon  an  incense  altar  and  a  crude  throne  set 
against  a  great  tree  indicate  that  there  has  been  no  recent  human 
occupancy  of  the  place. 

(A  stag  bounds  across  the  stage  and  makes  off  through 
the  thicket.  A  huntsman's  horn  is  heard,  then  shout- 
ing. The  Prince  enters,  running,  in  pursuit  of  the  stag. 
He  gazes  eagerly  in  the  direction  taken  by  the  ani- 
mal. The  First  Companion,  Second  Companion  and 
two  other  Companions  arrive  just  as  the  Prince,  ap- 
pearing to  catch  sight  of  the  stag,  lets  an  arrow  fiy  from 
his  bow.  The  First  Companion  slips  and  falls.  He 
does  not  rise,  and  puts  his  hand  to  his  knee  as  if  in 
pain.) 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

THE  PRINCE:   [striking  his  bow  disgustedly] 

Child's  work!  The  eager  shaft  o'ersped  the  mark. 
The  stag  enheartened  scents  the  peaks.  Come  all! 
Such  noble  quarry  calls  for  noble  chase. 

(The  Prince  beckons  to  his  Companions  impatiently  and 
starts  off.  All  but  the  First  Companion  prepare  to  fol- 
low him.) 

THE  FIRST  COMPANION: 

Pray  hold!    My  knee  refuses  to  go  on. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Then  wait  us  here.    Our  backs  shall  be  your  steeds 
When  yonder  antlered  stag  rides  on  them  too. 

THE  FIRST  COMPANION: 

Forsake  me  not!    Though  dying  would  I  run 
Ere  I  alone  in  such  a  place  remain. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Your  hurt  is  soon  forgot.   What  ails  this  place? 
(The  Companions  exchange  glances.) 

THE  SECOND  COMPANION: 

Good  Prince,  do  you  not  see  our  friend  lies  prone 

Beneath  the  very  beak  of  awful  Ug, 

Who  here  blockades  the  path  that  leads  to  Heaven? 

THE  PRINCE:   [gazing  at  the  colossus] 

Naught  but  the  stag  I  saw.    Why  heed  old  Ug? 
This  ancient  God  of  Fear  no  terror  holds 
Save  for  some  guileless  shepherd  or  a  child. 

THE  SECOND  COMPANION: 

Have  you  forgot  this  is  Mid-Summer  Day? 
That  on  this  very  night  we  send  through  flames 
A  youth  to  join  his  soul  with  awful  Ug? 

THE  PRINCE: 

The  yearly  sacrifice  had  slipped  my  mind. 

[2] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

THE  FIRST  COMPANION: 

The  Prince  forgets  because  his  eyes  are  spared. 
We  have  observed  how  on  Mid-Summer  Night 
The  King,  his  father,  sends  him  forth  while  all 
Are  at  the  feast;  nor  bids  him  stay  to  feed 
His  eyes  upon  the  human  offering 
That  marks  the  coming  of  the  blood-red  dawn. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Well  said.    Though  full  I  know  the  rites  that  fetch 

The  King,  the  Priests  and  people  here  this  night, 

The  final  scene  I  ne'er  have  looked  upon; 

Nor  have  I  feared  this  God  of  Fear.   Too  sweet 

The  mad  pursuit  of  butterflies  and  stags; 

Too  dear  the  all  engrossing  cup  of  life 

To  waste  a  thought  on  creatures  such  as  this. 

When  I  am  King  I  swear  old  Ug  must  fall! 

THE  SECOND  COMPANION:   [with  alarm] 

Oh  hear  him  not,  great  Ug;  the  Prince  but  jests. 
No  man  that  breathes  but  knows  the  sting  of  fear. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Fear  not  for  me  —  but  stay!    Perchance  this  night 

Myself  shall  learn  to  know  the  dread  of  Ug. 

My  birthday  anniversary  it  is ; 

The  boy  no  more  am  I ;  behold  the  man ! 

And  by  the  King's  decree  the  sacrifice 

No  more  shall  be  withholden  from  my  eyes. 

(The  Prince,  turning  toward  the  colossus,  snaps  his  fingers 
in  derision  and  laughs.) 

Tonight  I  stay  to  laugh  my  scorn  of  thee ! 

THE  FIRST  COMPANION  : 

The  Prince  must  learn  as  learns  the  humblest  man 
How  limitless  the  power  of  mighty  Ug. 

(Forgetting  his  knee  he  scrambles  to  his  feet.) 

[3] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

E'en  at  this  moment  as  the  day  declines 
Am  I  reminded  that  we  must  beware. 
Who  here  that  does  not  know  the  legend  well, 
Who  does  not  know  that  man  or  beast  or  bird 
Upon  whom  Ug's  strange  sunset  shadow  falls 
Some  hideous  service  for  Ug  must  perform? 

THE  PRINCE: 

Have  done,  have  done!    Save  nightmares  for  the  night. 
Quick  mend  your  knee.    Meanwhile  let  me  divert 
Our  thoughts  to  things  that  better  fit  our  youth. 
A  game  I  know,  a  game  of  skill  and  speed. 
Let  yonder  tree  be  goal :  let  one  stand  here : 
Another  fend  the  crossing  to  the  tree : 
Myself  shall  judge  and  leader  be.   This  rock 
Shall  serve  my  twice  exalted  station  well. 

(Climbing  upon  the  rock.) 
Prepare  to  run  as  I  direct.   Prepare  — 

(As  the  Prince  stands  upon  the  rock  a  deep  shadow  en- 
velopes him.) 

ALL  THE  COMPANIONS  : 
Oh-h-h ! 

THE  FIRST  COMPANION: 

Ug's  sunset  shadow  has  enwrapped  the  Prince ! 

THE  PRINCE:  [leaping  down  and  picking  up  his  bow] 
Enough,  enough  of  childish  omens,  friends. 
Tonight  we  must  attend  this  cheerless  place. 
Let's  now  away  to  fresh  our  minds  and  hearts. 
The  challenge  of  the  stag  calls  to  our  skill : 
Ere  daylight  dies  our  bows  must  bring  him  down. 
Forget  old  Ug!   Let  ardor  wing  our  feet. 

(The  Prince  runs  into  the  forest  followed  rapidly  by  all  the 
others.) 

[4] 


THE    FALL    OF    UG 

INTERMEZZO 

Night  follows  the  day.  Twilight  comes,  then  darkness,  then 
moonlight.  The  transition  is  made  a  musical  theme.  The  native 
denizens  of  the  wood  appear.  The  music  tells  the  story  of  the  life 
and  mystery  of  the  forest. 

By  daylight,  darkness  and  moonlight  mystical  lights  and  shad- 
ows play  over  mighty  Ug.  During  the  darkness  the  fire-flies  dance 
about  his  head.  In  full  moonlight  Ug's  face  is  seen  in  weird  and 
awful  aspect.  Behind  and  above  the  colossus  is  the  dense  shadow 
Ug  casts  upon  the  blockaded  path  to  Heaven. 

Squirrels  play  on  the  redwood  trees.  A  covey  of  quail  whirs 
up  from  the  leaves.  Rabbits  hop  about.  A  coyote  slinks  along. 
The  hoot  of  an  owl  and  the  scream  of  a  panther  are  heard.  A 
huge  bear  appears.  Trip,  a  brotvn-faced  fairy,  swings  to  the  bear's 
tail  and  teases  the  beast  at  every  step.  A  bird  appears  upon  the 
limb  of  a  tree  and  begins  to  sing.  Trip  is  caught  by  the  singing. 
He  allows  the  bear  to  lumber  off  while  he  raises  to  his  lips  a  small 
pipe  dangling  from  his  neck  and  takes  his  music  lesson  from  the 
bird.  When  the  lesson  is  ended  the  bird  flies  away. 

TRIP:   [laughing  and  running  about] 

Rocky  peak  and  lily  dell 
Know  my  skipping  footsteps  well. 
From  the  whitening  columbine, 
From  the  trilliums  making  wine, 
From  the  vale  of  flowering  fern, 
From  the  hill  where  poppies  burn 
Lately  did  my  pathway  twine, 
Twisted  like  clematis  vine. 
Morning  cup  with  bees  I  shared 
When  by  foxglove  wells  I  fared. 
When  at  noon  the  shadows  fled 
Thimbleberries  gave  me  bread. 
All  the  long,  mad  afternoon 
Wanton  laurels  coaxed  my  tune; 
Danced  and  swayed  till  great-eyed  deer 
Through  woodwardias  leapt  in  fear. 
When  the  moon  drave  out  the  sun 

[5] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

Loath  was  I  to  end  the  fun. 

Sweet  Mid-Summer  Night  holds  sway  — 

Trip  bids  all  the  woods  be  gay! 

(The  First  Servitor  enters  followed  by  the  Second  Servitor 
and  two  other  Servitors.) 

Mortals  come!   They  see  not  me  — 
Blind  to  fairy  folk  they  be! 

(Trip  skips  here  and  there,  inspecting  the  Servitors  at  close 
range.  Their  actions  show  them  to  be  entirely  uncon- 
scious of  his  presence.) 

THE  FIRST  SERVITOR: 

Here  sits  great  Ug.  The  place  we  must  prepare 
Ere  come  the  Priests  and  King  and  all  the  train. 
Here  you,  remove  this  limb.   Go,  clear  the  throne. 
And  you,  brush  off  the  leaves  the  winds  have  piled 
Upon  the  altar  in  mock  sacrifice. 
Wipe  up  the  litter  fallen  in  a  year. 

(All  busy  themselves  dragging  off  limbs  and  brushing  leaves 
from  the  throne  and  incense  altar.  Trip  follows  them 
about.  He  tickles  the  neck  of  one  with  a  blade  of  grass. 
The  fellow  shows  that  he  believes  it  was  Ug  that  an- 
noyed him.  Trip  follows  the  Second  Servitor  and  when 
the  man  has  carefully  removed  a  bough  from  the  throne 
Trip  lays  it  back  again.  The  man  is  astonished  ) 

THE  SECOND  SERVITOR: 

I  move  the  boughs;  Ug  throws  them  back  again. 
Ug*s  strangling  fingers  seem  to  clutch  my  throat. 
Good  master,  grant  me  leave  to  flee  and  hide! 

(Trip  mocks  the  Second  Servitor's  show  of  fright.) 

THE  FIRST  SERVITOR: 

No  hiding  place  there  be.    No  dim-lit  cave, 
No  hollowed  trunk,  no  secret  tangled  vale 
May  screen  you  from  Ug's  penetrating  eyes ; 
No  sweet  asylum  knows  the  weary  world. 

[6] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  SECOND  SERVITOR: 

Then  give  me  spear,  or  give  me  bow  cf  yew  — 
Some  trusty  weapon  that  may  win  me  peace. 

THE  FIRST  SERVITOR: 

Cease,  friend.    What  forged  steel  smites  off  the  load 

Of  fear  Ug  slings  upon  the  backs  of  men? 

Have  clone  with  fruitless  wailing.    To  your  work. 

(Servitors,  dragging  limbs,  disappear.) 
TRIP:  [sadly] 

Countless  men    come  to  this  place ; 

Few  behold  my  willing  face. 

Blind  they  are,  and  deaf  and  cold 

To  the  world  I  would  unfold. 

How  may  they  discover  me 

When  they  hardly  see  yon  tree? 

Pish !    They  never  dream  at  all ; 

Never  lift  their  eyes  and  call. 

(Turning  toward  the  colossus,  he  shakes  his  finger  at  it.) 

Foolish  men  see  Ug  alone: 

Trip  knows  Ug  is  but  a  stone. 

Hi !    How  long  will  men  come  here 

To  renew  their  dream  of  fear? 

How  long  shall  old  Ug  endure? 

Mighty  Ug,  be  not  too  sure ! 

Give  me  heed  and  Trip  shall  tell 

How  the  other  false  ones  fell. 

Come,  ye  gods  who,  since  man's  birth, 

Leagued  to  blight  his  joyous  earth. 

Come,  ye  gods  whose  chain  and  stave 

Made  the  trembling  world  a  slave. 

Come,  ye  other  gods  of  fear; 

Come  and  join  your  brother  here! 

(Trip  waves  his  arms  before  a  large  rock  and  out  of  the 
stone  emerges  Set,  who  proceeds  with  rigid  head  and 
stately  movements  toward  the  colossus.  He  gives  no  sign 
of  hearing  as  Trip  continues  speaking.) 

[7] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

Set!   How  Egypt  licked  your  hand 
When  your  fevers  gave  command! 
Iron  were  your  bones  and  will; 
Grist  were  mortals  in  your  mill. 
When  men  wrestled  with  their  fear, 
Lo,  they  saw  you  disappear ! 

(Set  disappears  into  the  ground  at  the  feet  of  Ug  and  Mo- 
loch emerges  from  the  rock  out  of  which  Set  came.) 

Moloch !    Bitter  barbed  your  thorns 
When  the  world  writhed  on  your  horns. 
Hungry  ocean  never  saw 
Victims  much  as  crammed  your  maw. 
When  men  wrestled  with  their  fear, 
Lo,  they  saw  you  disappear. 

(Moloch  disappears  into  the  ground  at  the  feet  of  Ug  and 
Medusa  emerges  from  the  rock.) 

Hail,  Medusa!    Serpent-crowned; 
How  you  made  Greece  bite  the  ground ! 
When  men's  eyes  gazed  in  your  own, 
Living  flesh  was  changed  to  stone. 
When  men  wrestled  with  their  fear, 
Lo,  they  saw  you  disappear. 

(Medusa  disappears  and  Huitzilopochtli  emerges.) 

See  Huitzilopochtli  now  — 
Aztec  lifeblood  on  your  brow ! 
Master  you  of  war  and  strife; 
Life  was  yours,  you  swallowed  life. 
When  men  wrestled  with  their  fear, 
Lo,  they  saw  you  disappear. 

(Huitzilopochtli  disappears  and  Tiamat  emerges.) 

Tiamat!  Your  horrid  spell 
Golden  Babylon  knew  well. 
Order,  peace  and  equal  law 
Know  no  more  your  dragon  jaw! 

(Tiamat  disappears  and  Baal  emerges.) 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

Baal!    Where  your  ancient  flail? 
Silent  now  Phoenicia's  wail; 
No  more  does  she  sacrifice 
To  the  father  of  all  lies ! 

(Baal  disappears  and  Kali,  Hydra,  Ate,  Hecate,  Minotaur 
and  Rudra  emerge  in  rapid  succession  from  the  rock.) 

Kali!    Bloody  queen  of  Ind, 

Your  destruction  none  could  mend. 

Hydra !   How  your  heads  could  frame 

Terrors  past  all  depth  or  name ! 

Ate!    How  your  poisoned  times 

Stung  the  Greek  to  reckless  crimes ! 

Hecate!    How  pain-racked  Thrace 

Sucked  its  witchcrafts  from  your  face ! 

Minotaur!    Your  Cretan  vale 

Burst  with  human  victims'  wail. 

Rudra!    How  you  smote  with  storms! 

How  you  all  lashed  with  alarms ! 

Ug,  behold  their  broken  spell ! 

Ug,  take  heed  how  each  one  fell ! 

When  men  wrestle  with  their  fear, 

Lo,  all  false  gods  disappear! 

(As  Rudra  disappears  after  the  others,  the  bear  is  seen 
again.  Trip  pursues,  and  goes  out  of  sight  swinging  to 
the  tail  of  the  baffled  beast.  The  Patriarch  Priest,  the 
Second  Priest,  the  Third  Priest  and  the  Young  Priest 
enter.  The  first  three  halt  before  the  colossus  and  make 
the  sign  of  Ug  by  extending  their  arms  straight  out  at 
the  sides  on  a  level  with  their  shoulders,  then  bringing 
the  left  hand  to  rest  over  the  heart,  then  clapping  the 
right  hand  upon  the  left,  and  finally  letting  the  head 
drop  forward  upon  the  breast.  The  Young  Priest,  stand- 
ing behind  the  others,  watches  and  imitates  them.) 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

The  very  earth  proclaims  that  this  is  Ug, 
Among  whose  Priests  a  neophyte  am  I. 
I  know  him,  yet  ne'er  saw  I  him  before. 

[9] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

Though  never  saw  you  this  colossal  form 

That  here  locks  fast  the  path  to  higher  joys, 

Ne'er  saw  you  day  since  from  the  womb  you  sprang, 

But  Ug  lurked  close  behind  your  elbow  joint 

Unseen,  he  fretted  you  in  cradle  days. 

When  she  who  bore  you,  tore  you  from  her  breasts 

And  bade  you  walk,  Ug  set  the  path  with  thorns. 

The  youth  chafed  oft  at  yoke  upon  his  neck ; 

The  man  finds  fear  encysted  in  his  heart. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

How  say  you  this  who  knew  me  not  in  youth? 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

Alas,  the  heavy  tale  of  one  fits  all. 

No  man  complains  that  Ug  has  passed  him  by. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

Since  day  by  day  we  pay,  what  drives  us  now 
To  lay  the  richest  gift  of  all  —  a  youth  — 
Upon  the  altar  of  insatiate  Ug? 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

Know,  son,  that  in  the  mystic  dawn  of  things, 

Ere  magic  had  been  stirred  into  this  soil, 

And  Nature's  womb  still  held  these  ancient  trees, 

The  fathers  of  our  fathers'  fathers'  sires 

Knew  tongue,  now  lost,  in  which  they  spake  with  Ug 

And  with  a  compact  sued  some  meed  of  peace. 

Though  great  Ug  would  not  yield  the  whited  path, 

By  iron  oath  he  bound  himself  to  sink 

His  beak  but  lightly  into  mortal  hearts, 

Nor  ever  take  his  fill  of  human  woe. 

And  for  this  boon  our  fathers  pledged  themselves 

And  all  their  children's  children's  sons  to  come 

Here  in  the  fullness  of  Mid-Summer  moon 

And  send  through  flames  to  join  his  soul  with  Ug 

A  youth  by  Ug  marked  for  such  sacrifice. 

[10] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

A  thousand  moons  of  soft  Mid-Summer  Night 
Have  lit  the  strict  performance  of  our  bond; 
A  thousand  times  as  stood  the  victim  forth 
A  blood-red  dawn  has  shown  great  Ug  appeased. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

And  shall  there  be  no  end  of  sacrifice 

And  dawns  that  seem  to  bathe  the  world  in  blood? 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

No  end  shall  be  while  faithful  Priests  of  Ug 
Demand  enforcement  of  the  changeless  law. 

THE  PATRIARCH  PRIEST: 

Hear  me  in  my  great  age. 
Now  memory  illumes  the  tale  the  Priest, 
My  father,  told  me,  which  long  since  the  Priest, 
His  father,  had  told  him.    A  myth  it  was, 
A  legend  shaped  mayhap  at  Fancy's  wheel 
And  yet  so  rich  in  promise  was  the  tale, 
So  freighted  with  the  rarest  gems  of  hope, 
That  even  now  it  leaps  upon  my  tongue. 
The  prophecy  says  naught  of  fixed  time. 
Told  in  some  season  long  forgot,  it  leaps 
Through  cycles  to  a  strange  Mid-Summer  Night 
When  Ug  calls  loudly  for  his  human  toll; 
And  then,  so  runs  the  tale,  because  the  youth, 
About  to  pass  into  the  flames,  uplifts 
His  eyes  and  voice,  some  wondrous  vision  waits, 
And  when  the  seeing  youth  beseeches  aid 
Some  warrior,  not  of  earth,  his  lance  drives  home : 
Rends  mighty  Ug  to  nameless  bits  of  dust, 
Nor  leaves  one  fragment  to  rekindle  fear. 
And  down  the  freshly  opened  path  to  Heaven 
Celestial  beings  come  to  walk  with  men. 
Comes  dawn,  the  strangest  ever  born  of  night: 
Ug's  ancient  beams  reach  out  their  crimson  hands, 
When  lo,  there  breaks  a  dawn  all  crystal  white 
That  overcomes  the  last  false  beam  of  blood 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

And  wraps  the  world  in  joy  ineffable. 
*  *  *  *  * 

A  dream !  A  dream !   But  such  a  treasure  dream ! 

(Overcome  with  emotion,  the  Patriarch  sinks  down.) 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST  :  [manifesting  disbelief  and  impatience} 
Save  for  your  age  we  would  not  hear  your  tale  — 
A  dream  that  sees  our  calling  snatched  away. 

(Lights  are  seen  through  the  trees  approaching  from  the 
east.) 

THE  THIRD  PRIEST: 

The  hour  is  near:  the  throngs  approach  this  place. 

(A  party  of  Husbandmen  enter,  singing.  They  carry  stalks 
of  corn,  fruits  and  huge  bunches  of  grapes  slung  from 
shoulder  poles.) 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  HUSBANDMEN 

From  fields  all  green  and  glowing 

We  sons  of  Nature  come. 
Where  living  streams  are  flowing 

There  may  be  found  our  home. 
The  fertile  soil  doth  yield  us 

Reward  on  stalk  and  tree. 
When  Ug  from  blight  doth  shield  us 

Glad  husbandmen  are  we. 

(The  Husbandmen  dispose  themselves  upon  the  ground. 
Lights  are  seen  coming  down  the  hill.  A  party  of 
Huntsmen  enter,  singing.  They  carry  long  bows,  quivers 
of  arrows  and  the  carcasses  of  game.) 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  HUNTSMEN 

The  hills  are  our  dominion. 

The  beast  of  secret  lair, 
The  bird  of  swiftest  pinion 

Yield  to  the  bow  and  snare. 

[12] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

A  thousand  dangers  lurking 

Along  the  tangled  trail 
Will  find  us  never  shirking; 

The  huntsmen  do  not  quail. 

(The  Huntsmen  dispose  themselves.  Lights  are  seen  ap- 
proaching from  the  west.  A  party  of  Shepherds  enter, 
singing.  They  carry  live  lambs  and  each  has  a  crook.) 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS 

Mid  meadows   sweet  with  grasses, 

Through  sylvan  shadows  cool 
The  flock  serenely  passes 

To  rest  beside  the  pool. 
No  lamb  is  left  to  wander 

Upon  the  hillside  steep; 
The  wolf  is  watching  yonder, 

The  shepherd  guards  his  sheep. 

(As  the  Shepherds  dispose  themselves  lights  are  seen  ap- 
proaching from  the  east.  A  party  of  Warriors  enter, 
singing.  They  wear  helmets  and  carry  lances  and  shields 
and  spoils  of  warfare.) 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  WARRIORS 

Let  justice  guide  our  lances, 

Let  courage  steel  our  hearts. 
Where  evil's  banner  dances 

There  loose  our  winged  darts. 
Let  victory  behold  us 

Where  battle  axes  fall; 
Let  honor  still  enfold  us 

Or  let  death  claim  us  all. 

(Husbandmen,  Huntsmen  and  Shepherds  rise  and  mingle 
with  the  Warriors.) 

CHORUS 

Let  all  the  world  assemble, 
Come  all  men  to  this  place. 

[13] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

We  wait  the  words  that  tremble 

Upon  Ug's  dreadful  face. 
For  us  no  mad  rebelling; 

Obedient  we  stand. 
Ug's  call  is  all-compelling; 

The  world  is  in  his  hand. 

(Lights  are  seen  approaching  on  the  main  highway.  Cries 
of  "The  King!  The  King!"  and  "Hail  the  King!"  are 
raised.  The  King  and  the  High  Priest  are  borne  in, 
seated  in  a  palanquin  supported  on  the  shoulders  of 
eight  bearers.  Lords,  Nobles,  the  Scribe  and  the  Jester 
accompany  the  palanquin.  The  King  is  assisted  to  mount 
the  throne,  while  Priests  conduct  the  High  Priest  to  a 
seat  beside  the  incense  altar.  Servitors  place  logs  in  the 
sacrificial  pit.  Torches  are  set  up  to  supplement  the 
moonlight.  The  Jester  skips  about,  taunting  this  one 
and  that,  and  finally  settles  at  the  King's  feet.  The  in- 
cense altar  is  made  to  send  up  a  column  of  smoke.) 

THE  KING:   [glancing  about  questioningly] 

The  Prince !  The  Prince !   Where  hides  my  son  the  Prince  ? 

THE  CHIEF  HUNTSMAN: 

We  met  his  youthful  party  just  at  eve. 

A  stag  fled  high  among  the  distant  peaks. 

"I'll  fetch  him  down!"  exclaimed  the  Prince,  then  led 

Where  none  of  slower  foot  might  follow  him. 

We  left  his  faithful  Huntsmen  at  the  pass. 

They'll  bear  his  load  —  I  swear  he'll  fetch  the  stag. 

(Lights  are  seen  coming  doivn  the  mountain  and  a  horn  is 
heard.) 

The  Prince's  horn!    Its  tone  proclaims  his  kill! 

(The  Prince  enters  followed  by  his  four  Companions,  who 
carry  a  stag  suspended  from  a  pole.  The  Chief  Hunt- 
man  leaps  forward,  takes  the  Prince's  hand  and  strikes 
him  on  the  shoulder  in  commendation.  Other  Huntsmen 
crowd  about  the  stag.  The  Prince  is  accorded  a  cordial 
reception.) 

[14] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  PRINCE:  [saluting  the  King  and  also  the  High  Priest] 
Your  pardon,  Sire,  and  yours,  if  long  I  have 
Delayed  the  ceremonies  of  the  night. 

(The  Prince  leaps  up  the  steps  of  the  throne,  kisses  the 
hand  of  the  King,  and  sinks  at  his  feet.  The  High 
Priest  stands  before  the  colossus  and  raises  his  arms. 
All  the  other  Priests  stand  at  his  back  and  lift  their 
arms.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Hail,  mighty  Ug! 
CHORUS  OF  PRIESTS: 
Hail,  Ug,  hail ! 

(The  salutation  and  chorus  are  repeated  three  times,  then 
all  the  Priests  but  the  High  Priest  move  to  one  side.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Peace  to  this  place  and  hour. 
Mid-Summer  holds  the  world  in  charmed  thrall. 
The  mantling  softness  of  these  stately  woods 
Enchants  the  aisles  of  every  lesser  grove. 
Gone  are  the  rains  and  floods.    Asleep  the  blasts. 
The  winds  chant  only  dulcet  threnodies. 
Clothed  are  the  meadow  pastures  with  white  flocks ; 
The  valleys  covered  o'er  with  ripening  corn. 
Each  great  and  little  breast  of  Nature  drips 
With  honey  and  with  milk.  All  paths  drop  fat. 
It  is  the  hour  of  harvest  and  reward. 
The  husbandman  receives  his  cheerful  toll. 
The  tree  throws  back  its  acorn  to  the  ground. 
The  fold  that  was  protected  yields  its  lamb. 
Fear  has  but  nibbled  at  our  hearts  the  year  — 
Great  Ug  awaits  his  promised  recompense. 

(Stretching  his  hands  toward  the  Shepherds.) 
The  Shepherds  bow  before  Ug*s  form. 

(The  Shepherds  advance  until  they  stand  in  front  of  Ug, 
and  fiing  down  their  lambs.  They  make  the  Sign  of  Ug 

[15] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

and  kneel  upon  one  knee,  showing  grave  agitation.  The 
Jester  has  climbed  to  an  eminence  from  which  he 
watches  the  Shepherds  in  wonder  and  mockery.) 

THE  JESTER: 

Oh,  see  our  frightened  Shepherds  bow  and  weep: 
They  are  as  bold  as  any  new-born  sheep ! 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

The  Husbandmen  their  reverence  pay. 

(The  Husbandmen  advance,  fiing  down  their  corn  and 
grapes,  make  the  Sign  of  Ug  and  kneel  behind  the 
Shepherds.) 

The  Huntsmen  are  defenceless  fawns. 

(The  Huntsmen  advance,  fiing  down  their  game,  make  the 
Sign  of  Ug  and  fall  upon  one  knee  behind  the  Hus- 
bandmen.) 

To  Ug  alone  the  Warriors  kneel. 

(The  Warriors  advance,  throw  down  their  trophies,  make 
the  Sign  of  Ug  and  fall  upon  one  knee.  The  Jester  con- 
tinues his  show  of  scorn.) 

THE  JESTER: 

O  wafting  Warriors!    Are  you  also  bound 
To  grovel?   'Ware  of  spiders  on  the  ground! 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Nor  holds  the  world  Lord,  Prince  or  august  King 

Who  dares  deny  Ug's  never-ending  sway. 

(The  Lords,  the  Nobles  and  the  Scribe  kneel  behind  the 
others,  making  the  Sign  of  Ug.  Then  the  Prince.  The 
King  lays  aside  crown  and  scepter  and  kneels  with  the 
others.  The  Jester  skips  up  the  throne  steps,  puts  on 
the  crown,  grasps  the  scepter  and  seats  himself  upon 
the  throne.) 

[16] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

THE  JESTER: 

Their  hearts  to  senseless  god  of  stone  they  fling: 
I'm  no  such  fool.    Forsooth,  let  me  be  King! 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Fool  of  all  fools,  before  Ug  smites  you  down 
Prone  on  the  ground  and  chew  repentant  dust! 

(Two  Priests  leap  up  the  throne,  remove  the  crown  and 
scepter  and  fiing  the  Jester  to  the  ground  where  he 
grovels.  The  High  Priest  signals  and  the  Third  Priest 
rises  and  sings  the  Song  of  Ug,  the  entire  company 
singing  the  chorus.) 

THE  SONG  OF  UG 

Out  of  the  terrible  Night, 

Out  of  the  Chasm  Unknown, 
Lacking  a  star  or  a  light, 

Sweeps  from  the  caverns  a  moan. 
Over  the  rim  of  the  world 

Darkness  in  travail  writhes  low, 
Straight  from  her  womb  there  is  hurled 

Ug,  bastard  scion  of  Woe. 
Oh,  see  how  all  mortals  are  bending; 

The  jewel  each  wears  is  a  tear; 
Man's  homage  is  given  unending 

To  Ug,  God  of  Fear,  to  Ug,  God  of  Fear, 
to  Ug,  God  of  Fear! 

CHORUS 

O  Ug,  our  poor  courage  lies  quaking  — 
O  Ug,  be  not  deaf  to  our  prayer  — 

O  Ug,  crush  us  not  with  thine  aching. 

Ug,  spare!   Ug,  spare!   Ug,  spare!   Ug,  spare! 

— Spare!  — Spare!  — Spare!  Ug,  spare!  Ug,  spare! 

Deep  in  the  breast  of  mankind, 

Close  by  the  chamber  of  Soul, 
Chiefest  of  treasures  enshrined, 

[17] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

Joy  of  Life  points  man  his  goal. 
Swift  as  a  fiend  from  the  dark 

Fear  comes  with  sword  and  with  chain  — 
Man  is  left  fettered  and  stark, 

Joy  of  Life  ravished  and  slain. 
Oh,  hark,  how  all  mankind  is  moaning; 

A  flood  rushes  from  the  world's  tear; 
Forever  men  turn  with  their  groaning 

To  Ug,  God  of  Fear,  to  Ug,  God  of  Fear, 
to   Ug,   God  of  Fear! 

CHORUS 

O  Ug,  our  poor  lives  we  are  giving  — 
O  Ug,  be  not  deaf  to  our  prayer  — 

O  Ug,  slaughter  not  Joy  of  Living. 

Ug,  spare!    Ug,  spare!    Ug,  spare!    Ug,  spare! 

— Spare !  — Spare !  — Spare !  Ug,  spare !  Ug,  spare ! 

(The  final  chorus  ends  with  all  on  their  faces.  Thereafter 
the  company  relaxes  and  distributes  itself  as  before. 
Servitors  pass  through  with  litters  loaded  with  meats 
and  fruits  for  the  feast.  The  Jester  filches  a  horn  bot- 
tle from  a  litter  and  takes  a  drink.) 

THE  JESTER: 

Ho,  ho !    My  belly  is  an  empty  waste : 

Let's  to  the  feast  in  yonder  glade  make  haste. 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Peace,  fool.    Tempt  not  again  Ug's  vengeful  hand. 
Moon  shadows  mark  the  hour  of  fateful  choice. 
The  patient  eyes  of  Ug  light  with  desire. 
Our  bravest  youth  shall  stand  before  the  god 
Like  snowy  lambs  that  he  may  choose  his  own. 
Who  are  Ug's  new  Defenders?    Who  the  youth 
That  have  done  valiantly? 

THE  SCRIBE:    [unrolling  a  scroll  handed  him  by  the  King  and 
reading] 

[18! 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

»  These  has  the  King  set  down: 

Among  the  Husbandmen,  Althone  and  Weg, 
Who  cunningly  led  water  to  the  vines 
Until  the  grapes  nigh  burst  their  purple  skins. 
Of  Shepherds,  Tord  and  Kim  are  named.    All  know 
They  scorned  their  lives  to  save  the  fold  from  wolves. 
Mikail  and  Elam  are  the  Huntsmen's  boast: 
Their  arrows  gone,  with  stones  they  slew  two  bears. 
Of  warring  men  are  Jud  and  Shed  enrolled: 
They  fetched  a  woman  captive  from  a  cave 
When  hostile  spears  fell  like  the  Autumn  rain. 
Thus  ends  the  list  of  those  the  King  acclaims. 

(Each  of  the  young  men,  as  his  name  is  called,  leaves  his 
companions  and  leaps  forward.  When  the  Prince's  name 
is  not  read  he  sinks  his  head  in  his  hands.) 

THE  JESTER:   [after  a  pull  at  the  bottle] 
He  names  me  not,  yet  death  I  often  dare: 
I  tease  the  sleeping  King's  nose  with  a  hair ! 

(Roaring  at  his  own  joke,  the  Jester  is  seized  and  thrust 
aside.) 

THE  KING:  [indicating  the  Defenders] 

The  leafen  chaplets  set  upon  their  brows: 
Their  fame  be  higher  than  these  trees  are  high. 

THE  CHIEF  WARRIOR: 

Pray  hold ! 

How  may  the  scroll  of  brave  youth  be  complete 
Save  when  my  lord  the  Prince  leads  all  the  rest? 
How  often  have  I  seen  him  hew  his  way 
In  battle  and  with  righteous  lance  drive  back 
The  foe  that  numbered  him  full   five  to  one! 

THE  KING: 

Not  through  his  own,  but  through  another's  eyes 
A  father  may  see  virtue  in  his  son. 
Arise,  O  Prince,  a  proud  Defender  thou ! 

[19] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

(The  Prince  rises  joyfully.  He  does  not  go  down  to  join 
the  others,  being  detained  by  his  father's  hand.  Priests 
deck  each  young  man  with  laurel  and  with  a  ceremo- 
nial vestment.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Bring  forth  the  table  of  the  secret  stones 
That  speak  the  changeless,  wordless  will  of  Ug. 

(A  table  or  rack  having  stone  slabs  upright  upon  it  is 
brought  in  and  set  before  the  colossus.  All  the  Defend- 
ers excepting  the  Prince  gather  beside  the  table.) 

Great  Ug,  the  blossom  of  our  race  behold; 
The  noblest  and  the  proudest  of  our  youth. 
Regard  them  well,  the  fairest  lamb  approve: 
Affix  thy  seal  upon  him  with  the  darkening  stone. 

(The  Defenders,  lifting  their  arms  to  Ug,  begin  to  march 

around  the  table.    The  Jester  runs  out  close  to  them, 

then  looks  back  at  the  throne.) 

THE  JESTER: 

What  brave  Defender  is  the  kingly  son? 
He  dares  not  share  the  risk  the  others  run! 

THE  PRINCE: 

A  fool's  wise  words !   My  rightful  place  I  claim ; 
Defender  I,  and  after  that  the  Prince. 

(Leaping  down  the  steps  the  Prince  takes  his  place  with 
the  Defenders.  The  King  rises  and  then  sinks  doubt- 
fully to  his  seat.) 

THE  KING: 

It  matters  not  if  he  be  there  or  here: 

Not  Ug  would  rob  the  throne  to  feed  his  maw. 

(The  Defenders  resume  their  march  around  the  table  of 
stones.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Lift  each  the  stone  that  calls  unto  his  hand. 
Ye  only  play  at  choosing:  Ug's  the  choice. 

[20] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

These  stones  be  all  as  white  as  wool  is  white, 
Yet  when  Ug's  favored  youth  lifts  up  a  stone 
And  turns  it  so  that  all  our  eyes  may  see, 
Behold,  it  shall  be  black  as  raven's  wing: 
Ug's  tongue  it  shall  become  to  speak  his  will. 

(Each  Defender  in  turn  lifts  a  stone  and  holding  it  aloft, 
slowly  turns  it  around.  As  the  underside  of  his  stone  is 
seen  to  be  white  a  cry  of  relief  breaks  from  each  De- 
fender's friends.  At  length  the  Prince  lifts  a  stone  care- 
lessly, holds  it  above  his  head  and  turns  it  around.  The 
underside  is  seen  to  be  black.  The  Prince  starts  in 
amazement  and  lets  the  stone  fall.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Ug's  choice  has  fallen  on  the  Prince! 

(The  sign  is  recognised  and  consternation  seizes  the  com- 
pany. Cries  of  "The  Prince!  The  Prince!"  "It  cannot 
be!"  and  "It  must  be  so!"  are  heard.  The  Prince  fal- 
ters. The  King,  all  but  overcome,  starts  up  and  is  about 
to  protest  when  the  High  Priest  stops  him  with  an  im- 
perative gesture.) 
Ug  speaks!  Let  none  oppose;  let  none  commend! 

THE  KING: 

What  dread  mistake  is  here?    Not  Ug  himself 
May  claim  the  Prince  and  heir  for  sacrifice! 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

The  Prince  that  was  is  vanished  from  our  eyes: 
Behold  the  lamb  Ug  chooses  as  his  own ! 

(Turning  to  the  Prince.) 
Salute  the  fatal  tablet  with  a  kiss 
That  all  may  know  you  do  consent  to  die. 

(The  Second  Priest  raises  the  stone  from  the  ground  and 
presents  it  to  the  Prince,  who  dashes  it  down  again.) 

[21] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Does  noble  Youth  so  fear  to  look  at  Death? 

THE  PRINCE: 

Who  says  the  King's  son  is  afraid  to  die? 
Think  you  kind  Nature  has  bestowed  on  me 
My  father's  flesh,  bone  of  his  bone,  and  yet 
Withheld  the  faultless  courage  of  his  heart? 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Then  why  this  strange  reluctance?  Would  you  dare 
Defy  the  pact  our  fathers  made  with  Ug? 

THE  PRINCE: 

Hear  me,  High  Priest: 

About  me  now  I  feel  a  throng  of  youths 

As  they  outstretch  their  pleading  hands  to  me. 

Souls  are  they  of  Ug's  countless  victims  past. 

Souls  of  Ug's  countless  victims  yet  to  come. 

And  all  as  one  they  claim  my  tongue  to  curse 

This  unavailing  slaughter  to  an  end. 

THE  SECOND  PRIEST: 

The  poor  Prince  raves;  fear  has  transformed  the  lad. 

THE  JESTER: 

The  Prince  is  sane,  and  all  the  rest  be  mad. 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Peace,  boy.   While  earth  shall  last  Ug  must  be  paid. 

THE  PRINCE: 

If  obligation  pend,  let  Ug  stand  forth 
With  lifted  lance,  or  human  champion  name 
And  I  will  war  with  all  my  strength  and  life 
To  pay  his  debt  in  measure  that  shall  leave 
No  stern  remainder  for  our  sons  to  pay. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

What  said  the  Patriarch  to  us?   He  told 
How  on  some  mystic  night  the  victim  should 

[22] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

Behold  a  vision  seldom  seen  of  men, 
And  from  the  vision  draw  some  spirit  aid 
That  should  forever  rend  Ug  from  our  path. 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Heed  not  the  tale,  an  empty,  time-worn  dream. 
It  tells  of  Ug  in  dust  upon  the  ground  — 
See  how  Ug  still  predominates  the  world! 
Come,  boy;  kiss  yonder  stone.   We  would  proceed. 

(The  Second  Priest  again  picks  up  the  fatal  stone,  but  the 
Prince  giving  him  no  heed  turns  to  the  King.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

My  being  cries  to  know  a  better  fate. 
Speak,  Father;  say  that  old  Ug  is  not  so! 

THE  KING: 

My  son ! 

My  crown,  my  scepter  would  I  swift  exchange 
For  answer  that  would  satisfy  your  prayer. 
My  reason  at  Ug's  bold  pretensions  scoffs; 
My  living  senses  cry  that  Ug  is  true. 
Ug  I  deny,  and  straight  my  ears  resound 
With  groans  of  mortals  in  the  grip  of  fear. 
Ug  I  deny,  and  straight  my  eyes  behold 
Some  yet  more  dreadful  festers  of  his  darts. 

THE  PRINCE: 

My  Father  and  my  King,  if  Ug  be  so, 
Then  lead  us  in  rebellion  'gainst  old  Ug! 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Ha,  ha!    That  foolish  word  long  since  I  heard. 
Speak,  King,  and  tell  him  what  rebellion  means. 

THE  KING:  [cowering] 
I  have  no  words  to  say. 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST  : 

Speak  now !    I  voice  great  Ug's  command ! 

[23] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  KING:    [hesitatingly,  as  he  comes  down  from  the  throne} 
The  High  Priest's  words  are  flames  that  melt  the  locks 
On  secrets  ne'er  intended  for  my  son. 
Hear  now  confession  of  that  man  who  drained 
Rebellion's  cup  down  to  the  poisoned  dregs. 
Mature  was  I  when  lifted  to  the  throne, 
And  holding  steadfast  to  the  good  in  men; 
My  people  served  I  with  a  strong  delight. 
Succumbed  our  foes  or  fled  before  our  fame. 
At  length  none  dared  intrigue  against  our  peace; 
No  shackles  knew  our  hearts  save  Ug's  alone. 
Long  pondered  1  upon  my  fancied  strength, 
Then  swore  to  bring  destruction  on  great  Ug. 
Mid-Summer  Night  was  nigh.    Farewell  I  bade 
That  hyacinth  of  womankind,  my  queen, 
And  drew  to  this  accustomed  place  resolved 
That  with  the  hour  of  sacrifice  at  hand 
Defiance  I  should  thunder  to  Ug's  claim 
And  rend  him  with  my  men  from  Heaven's  path. 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Behold,  the  memory  moves  Ug  not  at  all! 

THE  KING: 

E'en  as  I  drew  to  loose  my  verbal  bolt 

A  runner  breathless  sank  and  gasped  his  news : 

My  queen,  the  twin  soul  of  my  soul,  was  dead! 

Our  son  not  yet  expected  had  been  born. 

The  weakened  mother  clutching  him  to  breast, 

Her  eyes  wild  with  the  light  of  prophecy, 

Screamed  that  Ug's  hideous  stamp  was  on  her  child! 

She  died,  herself  slain  by  the  darts  of  fear. 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Thus  laughed  Ug  at  the  hand  that  threatened  him! 

THE  KING: 

A  score  of  years  and  each  year  like  a  score 
Have  I  watched  o'er  the  son,  nor  once  forgot 
The  sword  by  spider  thread  swung  in  suspense ; 

[24] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

Nor  ever  have  I  smiled  save  when  false  hope 

Lied  that  my  faith  in  prophecy  was  fled. 

Tonight  I  drave  forebodings  from  my  heart  — 

Tonight  Ug  calls  my  son  to  sacrifice ! 

And  louder  now  than  voice  of  her  long  dead, 

And  louder  than  the  wretched  victim's  prayer, 

And  louder  than  a  father's  wailing  soul 

The  universe  exclaims,  Ug  is  supreme ! 

(The  Prince,  all  but  overcome  by  his  father's  story,  ap- 
proaches the  King  and  falls  upon  his  neck.  The  Sec- 
ond Priest  comes  close  with  the  fatal  stone.  He  waits 
a  little  while,  then  rouses  the  Prince  by  plucking  his 
sleeve.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Revolt  no  more.    The  common  weal  demands 

That  you  shall  play  the  debtor  for  us  all. 

(The  Prince  releases  the  King,  who  slowly  remounts  the 
throne.  The  Prince  looks  around  uncertainly.  All  await 
his  action.  With  a  gesture  of  hopeless  resignation  he 
seizes  the  stone,  presses  his  lips  to  it  and  lets  it  fall  to 
the  ground.  The  Defenders  bring  a  white  robe  and  put  it 
on  the  Prince.  Removing  the  garlands  from  their  necks, 
they  hang  seven  about  the  neck  of  the  Prince.  The  sec- 
ond Priest  and  the  Third  Priest  spread  a  rug  before 
the  colossus,  and  two  Defenders  escort  the  Prince  to 
this  rug.  He  sinks  upon  it  and  buries  his  face  in  his 
arms.  A  figure,  almost  nude,  but  loaded  with  daz- 
zling barbaric  ornaments,  glides  upon  the  upper  level 
before  Ug,  and  begins  a  curious  writhing  of  the  body. 
Three  others,  similarly  costumed,  follow  him  upon  the 
upper  level,  while  a  dozen  appear  upon  the  lower  level. 
A  fanatic  dance  is  performed  as  a  solemn  part  of  the 
ceremony  before  Ug.  The  dance  is  wild  and  furious, 
reaching  a  frenzy.  At  its  end  the  dancers  whirl  away.) 
THE  HIGH  PRIEST:  [addressing  the  Prince  upon  the  rug} 

Now  are  you  sealed  unto  the  sacrifice. 

A  little  while  we  feast.    When  we  return 

Be  full  prepared  to  pass  into  Ug's  flames. 

[25] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

(The  King  leaves  the  throne.  The  Nobles  support  him  as  he 

goes  away  in  the  direction  of  the  feast.     All  the  company 

follow  with  the  exception  of  the  High  Priest  and  the 

Jester,  The  High  Priest  goes  over  to  the  bowed  Prince.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Death  is  the  changeless  fortune  of  mankind. 

To  some  it  comes  as  last  of  countless  storms 

That  bent  and  marred  but  could  not  fell  until 

The  sap  of  life  had  brittled  with  the  years. 

To  others  death  comes  in  the  quiet  noon : 

The  troubled  axe  they  leave  in  half-hewn  log 

Must  marvel  while  it  rots.    To  others  still 

Death  is  a  breath  that  shuts  the  door  of  life 

On  eyes  still  round  with  wonder  at  the  view. 

Some  chew  the  cud  until  the  bitter's  gone; 

Some  never  know  the  cud  is  aught  but  sweet. 

If  called  in  youth  or  called  in  age,  all  men 

Swear  solemnly  the  other  way  were  best. 

Peace,  boy.    What  privilege  to  die  for  those 

Doomed  but  to  live  ! 

(The  Prince  gives  no  sign  that  he  has  heard.    The  High 
Priest  departs.   The  Jester  advances,  bottle  in  hand.) 

THE  JESTER: 

Forget  Old  Graybeard,  boy ;  his  trade  is  woe. 
What  sophistry  can  make  you  glad  to  go? 
Or  what,  forsooth,  should  make  you  glad  to  stay? 
Grief  is  your  certain  portion  either  way. 
The  fool  is  wise,  he  quick  accepts  the  rule ; 
The  wise  man  long  denies  it  —  he's  the  fool. 
Forgetfulness  alone  can  scoff  man's  plight  — 
Good  liquor  is  the  very  salve  of  life ! 

(The  Jester  tries  to  force  his  bottle  upon  the  Prince.    He 
is  thrust  away  and  moving  about,  he  sings.) 

THE  JESTER'S  SONG 
When  the  sweets  of  the  world  have  been  captured ; 

When  joys  are  plucked  ripe  from  the  tree; 
And  the  senses  no  longer  enraptured 

[26] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

Awake  to  the  dull  mockery; 
Then  the  mortal  embittered  to  madness, 
All  bereft  of  the  false  dream  of  gladness, 
Will  not  spurn  the  soft  call  in  his  sadness, 

"Let  wine  be  the  solace  for  thee." 

So  fill  up  the  bowl  to  the  brim; 
Let  the  flagon  not  balk  at  the  rim. 

The  man  who  will  sip 

With  a  smirk  of  the  lip 
Is  a  man  from  whose  hand 

The  good  cup  may  well  slip ; 
But  the  man  who  swigs  hard  we  will  bless  — 
He  has  lived  and  knows  life  is  a  mess. 

He  drinks  if  he  dies  for  it, 

Dying,  he  cries  for  it  — 

This  be  his  prize  for  it  — 
Sweet  forgetfulness ! 

When  the  pains  of  existence  shall  thicken; 

When  the  urge  of  desire  grows  thin; 
When  passion's  pulse  ceases  to  quicken; 

And  love  is  of  things  that  have  been; 
Then  the  grape  sheds  its  blood  without  stinting 
And  the  mortal  forgets  his  resenting, 
Sees  his  sky  glow  again  with  new  tinting  — 

Good  wine  is  the  solace  of  men! 

So  fill  up  the  bowl  to  the  brim ; 
Let  the  flagon  not  balk  at  the  rim. 

The  man  who  will  sip 

With  a  smirk  of  the  lip 
Is  a  man  from  whose  hand 

The  good  cup  may  well  slip ; 
But  the  man  who  swigs  hard  we  will  bless  — 
He  has  lived  and  knows  life  is  a  mess. 

He  drinks  if  he  dies  for  it, 

Dying,  he  cries  for  it  — 

This  be  his  prize  for  it  — 
Sweet  forgetfulness! 

[27] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

(The  Jester,  walking  unsteadily,  departs  in  the  direction 
taken  by  all  the  others.  The  Prince,  left  alone,  gets  up, 
lifts  a  spear  a  Warrior  has  left  behind  and  stands  before 
the  colossus.  His  speech  is  emotional  recitative.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

O  mocking  monster  that  befouls  the  world, 

Dare  but  expose  some  vulnerable  joint, 

And  though  fiends  straight  devour  me  will  I  drive 

This  iron  lance  to  end  thy  cursed  spell. 

(The  Prince  hurls  the  lance  and  it  strikes  against  the  colos- 
sus. The  lance  is  shattered  to  pieces  by  the  impact.  The 
Prince's  attitude  changes  to  entreaty.) 

O  endless  Fear,  whom  mortals  may  not  slay, 

The  King's  son  prays  you  grant  this  single  boon : 

Speak  now  and  say  my  death  shall  terminate 

This  ghastly  sacrifice  of  bravest  youths  — 

Swear  none  come  after  me  —  and  I,  the  Prince, 

Will  bless  old  Ug  and  leap  into  thy  flame ! 

(The  Prince  sinks  to  his  knees  and  waits  expectantly. 
When  no  answer  comes  he  rises  in  utter  despair.  He 
turns  his  back  upon  Ug  and  staggers  away.  He  gropes 
this  way  and  that.  He  encounters  a  great  tree.  He 
clutches  the  bark  and  his  eyes  travel  up  the  trunk.  He 
regards  this  tree  and  the  other  trees  about  him  a-s  if 
really  seeing  them  for  the  first  time,  then  sings.) 

THE  PRINCE'S  SONG 

Behold  my  woe,  ye  Trees. 

Behold  old  Ug's  disdain. 

What  cares  he  for  my  pain, 
This  Ug  that  gluts  on  human  agonies? 
Ye  tremble  not,  O  Trees! 

How  stand  ye  so  serene? 

What  vision  have  you  seen 

That  smites  fear's  shackles  from  your  steadfast 
knees  ? 

[281 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

O  Trees,  how  lift  the  head? 

Assurance  is  your  crown; 

You  only  bow  not  down. 

What  secret  frees  your  hearts  from  palsied  dread? 
Sweet  spirit  of  this  Grove, 

Let  mortal  share  thy  calm. 

My  soul  cries  for  thy  balm. 
Come  to  me  nameless  messenger  of  love ! 

(A  -flute  ripples  briefly,  high  up  the  hill.  It  repeats  off  at  one 
side,  then  off  at  the  other,  then  near  the  Prince.  Trip, 
the  fairy,  is  seen.  His  pipe  still  at  his  lips,  he  alights 
upon  a  rock.) 

TRIP: 

As  ye  called  me  so  come  I; 
Bid  me  stay  or  swift  I  fly. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Stay!    Stay!    O  living  fairy,  who  are  you? 

TRIP: 

Ho,  ho!    Ask  the  snakes  and  snails  — 
How  I  twist  their  lazy  tails! 
Ask  the  squirrel  in  the  tree  — 
Would  he  store  nuts  but  for  me? 
Ask  the  linnet,  quail  or  jay  — 
I  command  them  when  to  lay.    . 
When  I  speak,  madrona  tree 
Dons  a  purple  robe  for  me. 
Master  I  of  birds  and  bees, 
Friend,  companion  of  the  trees. 
Flock  I  guard,  and  herd  and  drove  — 
Lord  and  spirit  of  this  Grove! 
Fear  me,  mortal,  fear  my  whip ! 

(Lifting  a  branch  above  his  head  he  threatens,  then  flings 
it  away  and  clasps  his  arms  about  himself  in  ecstasy.) 

Hi!    I  love  you!   I  am  Trip! 

[29] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  PRINCE: 

Sweet  Trip,  full  often  have  I  roamed  this  wood: 
How  falls  it  that  we  never  met  till  now  ? 

TRIP: 

Oft  as  in  this  Grove  you've  strayed 
Trip  has  faithful  shadow  played; 
Sometimes  followed  where  you  led, 
Often  flitted  on  ahead. 
I  have  whistled,  you  have  slept; 
I  have  piped  and  you  have  wept. 
In  the  bush  I've  teased  the  bear; 
Lured  your   foolish  arrows  there; 
After  you  mad  bruin  went  — 
It  was  I  who  stole  the  scent! 

THE  PRINCE: 

Alas,  alas,  not  once  saw  I  your  form ! 

TRIP: 

Change  has  come  to  you,  not  me; 
Faith  has  made  your  eyes  to  see. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Where  be  your  home;  not  near  this  dreadful  spot? 

TRIP: 

Dreadful,  dreadful,  dreadful  bind 
Eyes  of  men  who  will  be  blind ! 

(With  merriment  he  dances  about,  then  sobers  and  goes 

on.) 

Home?  Ah,  mortal,  you  shall  see 
How  Trip  grew  a  homing  tree. 
Once  a  sapling  all  unblest 
Came  into  the  Grove  to  rest. 
Full  ten  thousand  moons  have  sped 
Since  I  found  it  all  but  dead; 
Barkless,  leafless,  white  with  pain, 

[30] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

Summer  zephyrs  might  have  slain. 
Called  I  humming-birds  and  bees, 
Bade  them  whisk  to  farthest  leas. 
Flower,  bush  and  vine  run  rife 
Sent  me  each  one  drop  of  life. 
Lo,  the  sapling  bent  its  head, 
Quaffed  and  flushed  a  living  red. 
At  my  word  the  beaked  birdfolk 
Wove  a  warm  majestic  cloak; 
Teeth  of  squirrels  wise  and  old 
Worked  expansion  in  each  fold. 
Leaves  were  wanting,  in  their  place 
Spiders -spun  the  rarest  lace. 
Came  the  day  my  tree  in  ease 
Sang  to  soothe  the  orphan  breeze; 
Came  the  splendid  night  at  last, 
It  defied  the  winter  blast. 
"Grow!"  I  cried.     It  lifted  high, 
Pillared  up  the  tired  sky. 
I  dreamed  immortality  — 
See  my  deathless  redwood  tree! 

THE  PRINCE: 

Strange  is  the  secret  of  your  life,  old  tree, 
Grown  by  a  fairy  for  his  castle  home. 

TRIP: 

Fool  you  are,  oh  fool  you  be ! 
Is  my  purpose  hard  to  see? 
Need  I  in  such  tree  to  dwell 
Whom  a  poppy  serves  as  well? 
Why  grew  I  these  shafts  so  tall, 
Like  a  Heaven-kissing  wall, 
But  to  hide  from  mortal  eyes 
Yonder  stony  god  of  lies? 

THE  PRINCE: 

No  fairy  knows  the  awful  power  of  Ug. 

Alas,  bright  Trip,  perchance  yourself  should  fear. 

[31] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

TRIP: 

Ug  was  once  a  rock  and  bare 

Save  for  vines  it  flung  in  air. 

Men  beheld  it  block  the  path, 

Marvelled  at  the  stone  in  wrath, 

Loudly  called  to  it,  "Begone!" 

Rocks  are  deaf,  the  rock  stayed  on. 

Lack  of  faith  like  subtle  darts 

Set  men  trembling  in  their  hearts. 

Yon  dread  face  they  graved  through  tears 

With  the  chisels  of  their  fears. 

With  their  evil  thoughts  alone 

They  drave  life  into  this  stone; 

With  impure  imaginings 

Raised  a  god  of  countless  stings. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Say  not  a  simple  stone  bars  Heaven's  path. 
What  stone  could  cast  such  shadow  black  as  doom, 
And  peopled  mayhap  by  such  awful  shapes 
That  Ug  in  contrast  is  most  fair? 

TRIP: 

I  know  panther,  mouse  and  bee; 
Awful  shapes  are  strange  to  me. 
Nameless  monsters  Trip  would  find  — 
Hi,  let's  see  what  hides  behind! 

(Trip  passes  through  the  air  to  the  shoulder  of  the  colos- 
sus, shades  his  eyes  with  his  hand  and  peers  earnestly 
into  the  shaded  hillside  above.) 

Not  a  monster  rolls  in  sight; 
Nothing  is  but  lack  of  light. 
When  you  stand  beside  his  head 
Awful  Ug  is  all  but  fled. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Deride  not  great  Ug  to  his  face.    Beware! 
He  holds  the  world's  heart  in  his  iron  beak. 

[32] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

TRIP: 

Is  it  fearful  to  be  near? 

What  this  strange,  soft  sound  I  hear? 

(Trip  climbs  to  where  he  can  lay  a  hand  on  the  beak,  then 
draws  back  in  mock  fright.  He  repeats  this,  looking 
playfully  down  at  the  Prince.  He  thrusts  his  hand  into 
the  beak  and  draws  out  something  which  he  hides  under 
both  hands  against  his  breast  while  he  laughs  and 
chuckles.) 

While  this  beak  holds  men  dismayed 

See  what  nests  here  unafraid! 

(Trip  tosses  into  the  air  a  dove  he  had  lifted  from  its  nest 
in  Ug's  beak  and  the  bird  Hies  away.  Trip  drops  back 
to  the  ground  near  the  Prince.) 

Music  comes  to  cheer  your  heart: 

Hear  the  nightly  chorus  start. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Ah,  gentle  Trip,  mock  not  my  tortured  plight. 
No  music  hear  I  save  the  cricket's  dirge. 

TRIP: 

Hist  now !  Let  your  mood  be  ripe  — 
'Tis  some  far  off  fairy's  pipe. 
(Both  listen  with  hand  to  ear.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

Alas,  no  sweet  tones  greet  my  dreary  ear! 
TRIP: 

Deaf  your  ear  to  woodland  sighs 

With  long  listening  to  men's  lies. 

Hi!   There  sounds  the  call  again  — 

Now  the  answer  from  yon  glen! 
(Both  listen.) 

It  comes! 
THE  PRINCE: 

Not  so! 

[33] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

TRIP: 

Now  again! 

THE  PRINCE: 
Only  silence! 

TRIP: 

List  with  all  your  ears  and  mind! 

(After  a  time  the  rising  notes  of  a  pipe  are  heard.    The 
sound  dies  and  is  repeated  off  at  a  distant  place.    The 
sound  is  heard  very  faintly  at  first  and  then  more  clear- 
ly, as  the  reward  of  intent  listening.    The  Prince  shows 
by  his  joyful  manner  that  he  has  heard  at  last.) 
Now  the  chord  runs  all  around 
Till  the  woods  with  trills  resound. 
Open  now  to  fresh  delight; 
Share  the  harmony  of  night. 

(The  instrumental  chord  runs  through  the  woods.  Trip 
dances  about,  charmed  that  the  Prince  is  able  to  hear.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

It  seems  I  hear  who  never  heard  before! 

TRIP: 

Now  from  hill  and  cavern  dim 
Shall  uplift  the  woodfolk  hymn. 
Sing,  ye  sounding  forest,  sing! 
Ring,  ye  living  redwoods,  ring! 

(The  haunting,  wordless  song  of  the  woodfolk  is  heard 
in  one  place,  then  in  another,  and  the  ripple  of  it  runs 
along  the  hill.  Finally  it  is  heard  coming  from  every 
side,  with  indescribable  effect.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

I  should  have  sworn  my  faculties  complete, 
Yet  deaf  was  I  and  knew  it  not  until 
The  wondrous  music  of  the  forest  night 
Revealed  and  healed  and  left  me  lacking  naught. 

[34] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

TRIP: 

Deaf  you  were  and  knew  it  not, 
Deaf  as  any  stone,  I  wot. 
Having  eyes  you  think  you  see  — 
Blind  as  bat  at  noon  you  be! 

THE  PRINCE: 

Alas,  my  eyes  see  more  than  cheers  my  heart. 

TRIP: 

Worse  than  blind,  poor  mortal  eyes, 
Seeing  clouds  in  summer  skies; 
Seeing  ugly  and  untrue, 
Until  Beauty  hides  from  view; 
Spying  woes  on  ev'ry  side 
That  no  flowing  tears  may  hide. 
Try  your  eyes;  gaze  either  way; 
See  the  woodfolk  at  their  play. 
Bear  with  their  mischievous  plight  — 
Soft  the  air  Mid-Summer  Night. 
See  them  skip  and  romp  and  prance; 
See,  they  beckon  you  to  dance! 

THE  PRINCE: 

If  such  things  be,  then  truly  I  be  blind! 

TRIP: 

How  may  golden  visions  rise 
When  you  never  lift  your  eyes? 
How  might  you  behold  my  face 
Where  another  saw  but  space 
Save  that  when  old  Ug  appalled 
You  alone  looked  up  and  called? 
Great  now  your  reward  shall  be, 
Loosed  shall  be  the  mystery; 
Swiftly  shall  you  pass  the  door 
Mortal  seldom  passed  before. 
Mighty,  mighty  vainly  knocks; 
Lowly,  lowly  turns  the  locks. 

[35] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

Bend  and  pluck  humility  — 

Sweet  oxalis  is  the  key! 

(The  Prince  stoops  and  plucks  a  stalk  of  the  oxalis  which 
he  holds  up.) 

Bay  leaves,  jonquils,  dragonflies! 

Woodfolk,  greet  his  famished  eyes. 

(A  company  of  fairies  is  seen  and  a  lively  frolic  follows, 
during  which  the  fairies  frequently  leave  the  ground  and 
go  sailing  away  through  the  trees.  Others  come  flying 
from  distant  parts  to  join  the  fun.  Objects  which  ap- 
peared to  be  bushes  and  rocks  stir  and  move  and  are  seen 
to  be  fairy  folk.  Suddenly  the  Prince  drops  his  oxalis 
key.  The  fairies  fly  away  and  the  vision  fades  rapidly.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

My  key  I've  lost!    Quick,  give  it  back!    But  stay  — 
The  King,  the  Priests,  the  company  I  call 
That  all  may  share  this  vision  of  delight. 

TRIP: 

Ho,  ho!    Blindness  binds  them  all. 
When  did  they  look  up  and  call? 
Smallest  fairy  knows  no  fear 
When  the  fiercest  man  be  near. 
When  mad  mortals  hurl  their  best 
Into  Ug's  consuming  breast, 
Fairies  join  their  unheard  cries 
To  the  woe  of  him  who  dies. 
Even  now  their  eyes  are  dew  — 
They  prepare  to  weep  for  you. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Your  words  recall  me  to  my  bitter  fate. 

E'en  now  approaching  shouts  proclaim  my  hour. 

The  hope  that  had  sprung  up  was  but  a  dream. 

TRIP: 

Hi!    What  know  you  of  dreams? 
What  is  true  and  what  but  seems? 

[36] 


THE     FALL     OF    UG 

Learn  which  is  reality; 
Therein  lies  the  golden  key. 

THE  PRINCE:  [when  shouting  is  heard] 

They  come!    Stay,  gentle  Trip,  desert  me  not. 
When  my  sad  eyes  must  close  in  hideous  death 
Let  their  last  vision  rest  on  you,  else  I 
Upon  the  threshold  turn  to  curse  the  world. 

TRIP: 

Trip  must  fade  nor  linger  on. 
Come  your  people  I  am  gone. 
How  might  you  hold  me  in  view 
When  their  blindness  may  blind  you? 
This  my  last  injunction  be: 
Heed  my  mystic  redwood  tree. 
When  Ug  scourged,  you  called  and  lo, 
Now  you  know  what  fairies  know! 
More  than  fairies  know  you  need  — 
Seek  and  find  some  higher  meed. 
When  men  wrestle  with  their  fear 
Often  does  the  path  grow  clear. 
Faith  once  more  your  eyes  anoint  — 
Look  where  redwoocj  fingers  point! 

(At  his  final  word  Trip  whisks  away.  The  Prince  runs  ap- 
pealingly  to  the  spot  where  the  fairy  stood.  The  shout- 
ing grows  louder.  The  King  enters  and  is  escorted  to 
the  throne.  The  Priests,  led  by  the  High  Priest,  take 
their  places.  The  company  is  quickly  composed  as  be- 
fore. The  Prince  appears  to  see  something  invisible  to 
the  others.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

Look,  King  and  Priests;  look,  Warriors,  Huntsmen,  all. 

Sec  how  the  fairy  master  of  this  Grove  laughs  down 

In  scorn  of  all  our  bootless  sacrifice! 

Fear  Ug  no  more!    Great  Ug  is  but  a  stone! 

Oh,  see  you  not  sweet  Trip  ?  Ask  him  to  tell ! 

[37] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Peace,  lad;  fear  has  distraught  your  mind. 

Stand  boldly  as  the  kingly  son  should  stand, 

Nor  shame  us  with  your  monstrous  dread  of  death. 

THE  PRINCE: 

What  words  of  mine  could  make  you  understand? 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Far  spent  the  night;  make  ready  for  the  rites. 

(Priests  direct  Husbandmen  and  others  in  placing  addition- 
al logs  in  the  sacrificial  pit  and  the  flames  are  lighted.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

I  see  and  hear:  you  all  be  blind  and  deaf! 

THE  CHIEF  WARRIOR:   [to  the  Prince] 
Oh,  falter  not  nor  forfeit  our  esteem: 
True  valor  scoffs  at  fate  and  laughing  dies. 

THE  PRINCE: 

Illusion's  victim  —  worse  than  Ug's —  am  I. 
They  think  me  coward,  else  they  call  me  fool. 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Lay  off  the  garlands.    Aid  him  to  prepare. 

(Priests  offer  to  assist  the  Prince  to  remove  the  garlands 
from  about  his  neck,  but  he  motions  them  away.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

My  hands  suffice :  straight  I  disrobe  my  soul. 

(He  lifts  off  a  garland  and  holds  it  in  his  hands.) 
Let  this  be  love  of  father,  home  and  friends: 
My  dearest  tie  melts  at  the  touch  of  Ug. 

(He  pitches  the  garland  into  the  sacrificial  pit,  then  lifts 

another  one  from  his  neck.) 
This  be  ambition;  how  its  roses  flamed 
Ere  Ug's  foul  breath  turned  every  petal  sere! 

[38] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

(He  flings  the  garland  into  the  pit  and  lifts  off  another.) 
This  be  sweet  charity;  it  was  a  robe 
That  hid  the  world's  defects  from  trusting  eyes 
Until  Ug's  hand  displayed  the  horrid  truth. 

(He  flings  the  garland  into  the  pit  and  lifts  the  remaining 

four  from  his  neck.) 

Fair  hope  was  this ;  a  lily  stung  by  frost : 
This  truthfulness,  this  pride,  this  loyalty. 
Ug's  fetid  touch  blasts  all  their  purity. 

(He  flings  all  the  garlands  into  the  pit,  then  tears  off  his 
white  robe,  standing  nude  but  for  a  breech  cloth  and 
sandals.) 

This  garment  be  outrageous  joy  of  life, 
A  mocking  pretense  that  enfolds  all  men, 
Yet  at  the  first  rude  plucking  rends  apart 

(Rending  the  robe  he  throws  it  aside.) 
And  leaves  us  naked  to  such  foe  as  Ug! 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

We  wait  with  ready  sacrifice  that  Ug 

May  speak  his  promise  of  a  blood-red  dawn. 

THE  YOUNG  PRIEST: 

Pray  let  the  Patriarch  recall  his  tale: 
Mayhap  he  will  pronounce  the  season  come 
When  red  dawn  shall  be  swallowed  up  by  white 
In  token  that  Ug's  day  at  last  be  done. 

(While  speaking  the  Young  Priest  has  advanced  to  the 
Prince,  though  looking  at  and  imploring  the  Patriarch, 
who  moves  his  head  doubtfully.  The  High  Priest  seizes 
the  Young  Priest  and  hurls  him  to  the  ground  at  one 
side.  The  High  Priest  lifts  his  hands  and  all  but  the 
Prince  fall  upon  their  faces.  At  length  the  face  of  the 
colossus  begins  to  glow  with  red.) 

THE  HIGH  PRIEST: 

Red  dawn  is  nigh.    Ug  calls  for  sacrifice! 

[39] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

(Priests  and  others  seize  the  Prince  and  lift  his  naked  form 
above  their  heads  preparatory  to  casting  it  upon  the  out- 
stretched palms  of  Ug,  from  which  it  will  drop  into  the 
pit  of  flame.  At  this  moment  Trip's  pipe  is  heard  loudly 
rippling  somewhere  close  at  hand.  The  sound  startles 
the  Prince  and  arouses  him  to  desperate  action.  He 
struggles  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Priests,  springs  to  the 
top  of  a  rock  and  with  his  back  to  the  colossus,  raises 
his  arms  to  Heaven.) 

THE  PRINCE: 

O  God  of  Truth,  where  point  the  redwood  hands, 

Thy  promise  be  established  now  in  me ! 

Thy  kingdom  comes ;  Thy  thunders  vanquish  Fear ; 

Thy  will  is  done;  Thy  lightnings  rend  Fear's  form; 

Thy  word  unbars  the  path  that  leads  to  Thee; 

Thy  crystal  dawn  enwraps  the  reborn  world, 

And  lights  men's  famished  eyes  to  know  Thy  face ! 

(The  Priests  appear  to  be  frantic  in  their  anger  and  de- 
spair, but  the  Prince's  attitude  of  commanding  faith  makes 
them  afraid  to  lay  hand  upon  him.  As  the  Prince  re- 
mains with  arms  uplifted,  thunder  is  heard.  The  stage 
grows  dark.  The  thunder  culminates  in  a  cannon-like 
detonation.  Lightning  Hashes  and  rends  the  colossus. 
In  the  noise  and  mystery  of  a  convulsion,  Ug  is 
dimly  seen  to  shrivel  and  go  down  into  utter  nothing- 
ness. With  the  settling  of  the  dust  quiet  ensues  and  the 
white  road  is  seen  to  be  complete  across  the  spot  where 
once  Ug  sat.  Growing  light  reveals  the  path  leading  up 
the  hillside.  Celestial  beings  are  seen  to  beckon  and  to 
sweep  downward  toward  the  company  of  people.  The 
latter  lift  their  arms  in  gladness  and,  led  by  the  Prince, 
commence  to  climb  upward.  As  they  pass  over  Ug's  for- 
mer seat  they  begin  to  sing  a  world  hymn  of  rejoicing. 
The  chorus  is  caught  up  by  many  unseen  choirs  in  re- 
mote places  until  all  the  world  seems  to  be  voicing  its 
rapture.) 

[40] 


THE     FALL     OF     UG 

THE  WORLD  HYMN 
The  Lord  made  the  earth  and  the  fulness  thereof; 

By  His  hands  were  the  deep  places  laid; 
The  strength  of  the  mountains  the  breath  of  His  mouth ; 

In  His  palm  are  the  mighty  seas  weighed. 
He  spake  and  the  wilderness  wept  with  new  rain ; 

From  the  dry  ground  the  water-springs  came. 
He  looked  on  the  earth  and  it  trembled  with  joy; 

The  hilltops  He  touched  into  flame. 
Let  the  floods  clap  their  hands,  let  the  winds  shout  their 
praise ; 

Let  the  mountains  bow  low  and  be  furled ; 
The  Lord  from  His  high  sanctuary  hath  come; 

His  lightnings  enlighteneth  the  world. 
The  gods  of  the  nations  are  idols  of  clay; 

The  sun  hath  our  Lord  full  arrayed : 
The  Lord  lifts  His  voice,  let  the  nations  be  dumb  — 

"Lo,  man  in  mine  image  is  made : 
"Dominion  be  his  over  earth  and  himself: 

"The  eyes  of  his  faith  none  shall  bind. 
"When  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear  from  my  son, 

"Lo,  in  him  be  the  infinite  mind !" 

Let  all  the  nations 

And  all  the  peoples 

Rejoice 

And  be  glad 

Rejoice,  rejoice,   rejoice,   rejoice,  etc. 

(The  last  vain  impulse  of  fallen  Ug  is  seen  in  the  occur- 
rence of  his  red  dawn.  The  red  illumination  seems  for 
a  brief  space  to  drive  Ug's  colorful  suggestion  into  all 
the  earth,  but  meaning  and  motive  have  gone,  and  pres- 
ently a  new  and  strange  sublimity  creeps  into  the  break- 
ing of  the  day.  To  men's  unaccustomed  eyes  the  novel 
rays  at  first  are  green,  but  as  they  overcome  and  swal- 
low up  the  old  manifestation  of  blood,  it  is  seen  that  the 
promise  is  indeed  fulfilled,  that  crystal  dawn  is  come  to 
enwrap  the  hearts  of  those  escaped  from  Ug  in  name- 
less glory  and  in  endless  peace.) 

[41] 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE   MUSIC 


After  close  study  of  the  play  I  realized  the  fact  that  Ug 
could  claim  no  single  country  as  his  own,  but  that  his  awful  power 
held  the  world  and  dominated  all  nations,  savage  and  civilized, 
alike.  Consequently  in  my  conception  of  the  music  I  have  not  ad- 
hered to  any  one  form,  style  or  school;  on  the  contrary,  I  have 
written  "with  a  free  hand,"  breaking  theoretical  rules  at  my  pleas- 
ure in  order  to  get  most  thoroughly  into  the  atmosphere  of  Mr. 
Steele's  book.  Since  Ug  dominates  the  hearts  of  all  the  charac- 
ters, Ug  must  have  an  unmistakable  and  powerful  motif  which 
rings  out  in  commanding,  awe-inspiring  tones  at  all  times.  It 
must  be  ever  in  the  ear  as  well  as  in  the  mind  and  heart;  hence 
I  have  chosen  this  as  the  Ug  theme  or  motif: 


It  is  used  in  many  forms  and  developments.  It  is  heard  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Prelude,  being  announced  by  the  entire  brass 
choir;  again  it  proclaims  its  glory  and  power  when  the  world 
gathers  before  the  colossus  to  do  homage,  this  wild  harmoniza- 
tion introducing  the  entrance  of  the  clans : 


In  the  Song  of  Ug  the  motif  frequently  appears  in  the  ac- 
companiment of  the  song,  while  the  chorus  uses  it  in  still  another 
form: 

[43] 


SYNOPSIS   OF  THE  MUSIC 


I/I 

/• 

-<• 

r    T    -i  —  r     f 

/I 

0       ^ 

x 

0vw  ^Mf  C«vw«/|a  •  l*,tA 

/ 

lit 

^-^« 

.-^ 

,  1-1  f  ft  f  ,  f^=— 

/ 

J  *  r  " 

Cf 

.1;'     .^  — 

I 

2 

, 

> 

Thus  the  motif  appears  and  reappears,  sometimes  in  warning 
and  again  in  jealous  frenzy,  as  though  Ug  himself  feared  that  the 
truth  might  be  learned  by  his  slaves  and  his  power  lost  for  all  time. 

In  the  Prelude,  after  the  triumphant  declaration  of  the  Ug 
motif,  the  atmosphere  changes  to  one  of  calm,  in  a  short  episode 
sung  by  three  French  horns  : 


In  this  is  denoted  the  natural  peace  and  calm  of  the  Grove. 
Through  it  is  heard  a  mournful  voice  (the  Cor  Anglais)  pleading 
with  broken  heart  for  recognition.  It  is  the  voice  of  Truth  beg- 
ging that  it  be  listened  to  and  heeded,  but  no  one  and  no  thing 
pays  attention  to  it  save  only  the  evening  breeze  that  seems  to 
follow  the  mournful  strain  in  its  wanderings,  looking  for  a  mind 
or  heart  to  receive  it. 


SYNOPSIS   OF  THE  MUSIC 

The  voice  hopes  and  trusts  that  it  will  find  lodgment  (as  it 
eventually  does),  because  it  knows  that  its  reception  will  cause 
to  spring  up  a  strength,  glory  and  eternal  beauty  before  which 
Fear  must  vanish  as  fog  vanishes  before  the  sun.  When,  after  its 
hard  struggle,  it  is  finally  recognized,  there  occurs  the  downfall 
of  the  coarse  and  boastful  Ug;  and  the  Ug  theme  dies  away  be- 
fore the  glorious,  overwhelming  motif  of  Truth. 

^   /I 


In  the  Intermezzo  I  have  "tone-pictured"  the  transition  from 
afternoon  to  night  as  nearly  as  I  could.  The  jovial,  happy  little 
scene  in  which  Trip  takes  his  music  lesson  from  a  bird  is  merely 
a  short  duet  between  a  flute  and  piccolo,  the  theme  being  as 
follows : 


The  next  number  of  importance  is  the  entrance  of  the  groups. 
In  this  we  have  first  the  motif  of  the  Husbandmen  (tenors)  : 


Next  is  the  motif  of  the  Huntsmen  (first  basses) 


The  Shepherds  (second  tenors)   follow,  their  song  being  ac- 
companied by  the  pastoral  music  of  the  pipes: 

[45] 


SYNOPSIS   OF  THE  MUSIC 


Last  of  the  groups  come  the  Warriors  (second  basses)  : 


Then  comes  an  ensemble  of  all  the  groups,  with  the  Ug  motif 
dominating. 

The  Dance  of  the  Fanatics  is  a  wild,  weird  motif,  purely 
suggestive  of  a  barbaric  religious  frenzy. 

In  the  Drinking  Song  of  the  Jester,  the  motif  of  the  refrain 
is  the  same  in  each  occurrence,  while  the  verses  themselves  are 
foreign  to  each  other.  This  is  the  motif  of  the  refrain : 


The  distracted  young  Prince,  left  alone  before  Ug  to  whom 
he  is  soon  to  be  sacrificed,  dares  Ug  to  meet  him  in  combat: 


ftft 


tm 


[46 


SYNOPSIS   OF  THE  MUSIC 

Getting  no  response,  the  Prince  appeals  in  another  manner.  He 
begs  Ug  to  swear  that  his  death  shall  be  the  last  sacrifice  de- 
manded, whereupon  the  Prince  will  gladly  leap  into  the  flame : 


^  3$p 


&4    ~ 

kZ.          fci 


h—  ^  —  ^ 

•>.     *                 ^ 

N  * 

[47] 


SYNOPSIS   OF  THE  MUSIC 

Receiving  no  reply,  the  Prince  turns  away  in  despair  and  dis- 
covers the  trees.  He  looks  at  their  upward  pointing  shafts,  and 
it  is  during  his  appeal  to  them  that  we  hear  once  more  the  mourn- 
ful, earnest  appeal  of  the  motif  of  Truth,  beseeching  the  Prince 
to  heed  it: 


LplJ     4~y     ^fl       <ft 


Trip's  joyous  motif  is  suddenly  heard  again,  before  he  re- 
veals himself  to  the  Prince : 


OJk 


[48 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  MUSIC 

Next,  the  call  of  the  fairies  is  heard.  Then  the  fairies  appear 
and  dance  and  gambol  and  dart  through  the  air  on  silken  wings. 
The  birds  of  the  forest  lend  their  notes  to  the  musical  rhythm; 
the  friendly  quail  take  flight  to  clear  the  way  for  the  fairy  dan- 
cers, and  through  the  dance  birds  are  heard  calling  as  if  ex- 
pressing their  approval: 


T/7 


V  *  •£ 

^  «/M 

'          4  «* 

/H 

J 

i  .  t  4 

J          ' 

r  .  ^    —  =P 

The  Finale,  which  is  the  next  number  of  musical  importance, 
is  announced  by  the  timpani  in  solemn,  measured  tone  as  the 
Prince  is  being  prepared  for  his  death.  The  voices  of  two  bas- 
soons add  greater  color  of  sadness : 


49] 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  MUSIC 

While  the  Prince  is  in  the  depths  of  despair,  the  Truth  motif 
is  again  heard  begging  for  recognition.  The  youth  seems  to  feel 
its  unknown  strength  and  influence.  The  Priests  are  seized  with 
fear  as  the  Prince  lifts  his  voice  in  prayerful  declaration.  Thun- 
der and  lightning  ensue.  As  Ug  is  demolished,  the  Truth  motif 
rings  up  triumphantly.  Light,  Truth's  counterpart,  floods  the  place 
where  once  darkness  reigned,  and  the  World  Hymn  of  rejoicing 


is  heard: 


The  motif  of  Truth  sings  on  in  overwhelming  majesty.   Fear 
is  vanquished.  A 

HERMAN  PERLET. 

[50] 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

RENEWED  BOOKS  ARE  SUBJECT  TO  IMMEDIATE 
RECALL 


LIBRARY,  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  DAVIS 

BookSlip-50m-5,'70(N6725s8)458— A-31/5 


N9  734824 


Steele,  R. 

The  fall  of  Ug. 


PS3537 
T27865 
F3 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


